VCu NT fp¼v tks_m^p sshän k¶n«p*v. k`n] fmä§Ä k^p¯n N¼n¡p«Wn bpW{bhn²oN^n¡pN]m\v. C³shÌv hvtfmNnwPv scängv F¶knemP¯nÂs¸Xp¶ NT]m]SnWm Vm^maw Io¯ tNÄ¡pkm³ hmVyS]pÅ H^p b^o£\fm\v.b

tW^w skap¯pNjnªt¸mÄ B\v Sm³ F{S k`n] H^p Np^p¡n`m\v sb«n^n¡p¶Sv F¶v hqh³ fWÊn`m¡p¶Sv. Sm³ KoksW¡mtas_ hvtWin¡p¶ S³s_ fN³ tZknhv Ss¶ ^m{Sn]n bqÀ®WPvW]m]n H^p bp^pgtWmsXm¸w ss`wPnN tkjv¨WX¯p¶Sv N*n^n¡p¶p. Ss¶¡p_n¨pÅ B ^ihyw S³s_ fN³ Fs¶¦n`pw H^n¡Â fWÊn`m¡pw F¶v A_nªn^ps¶¦n`pw CSptbms` H^p hnäptkg³ D*mNpsf¶v H^n¡`pw N^pSn]nÃ.
AkÄ tZknhn³s_ fp_n]nt`¡v tbm]n. Ak³s_]Xp¯n^p¶p Ak³ D_§p¶Sv– kmÕ`yt¯msX tWm¡n]n^p¶p. Ak³ D\^p¶ Wnfngs¯ AkÄ l^n¡v e]s¸«p. Cutlmt], tfm³s_ {bSnN^\sf´m]n]n^n¡pw? tUgys¸Xpw? A`_pw? C_§nt¸mNm³ b_]pw? tksly F¶v knan¡pw? Cutlmt] H^p bnXn]pw Nn«p¶nÃ. Wo Ss¶ Nmt¯mas\…
A¸w Njnªv AkapsX fp¼n tZknhv N®pNÄ Sp_¶p.
“”Hm, f½nt]m? F´m f½n?””
Ak³ D_¡¨XtkmsX tImUn¨p.
“”H¶pfnà tfmtW, f½n sk_psS k¶Sm. tfm³ D_§nt¡m, f½n tbmNpkm.””
“”CÃ f½n, Ct¸mÄ hf]w B_^]m]ntÃ? CWn D_§p¶nÃ.””
AkÄ H¶pw b_]msS AksW tWm¡n.
“”f½n]v¡v F´v bän?””
N®pNÄ Sn^p½ns¡m*v tNm«pkm]n«psNm*v tZknhv tImUn¨p.
“”tfmtW, ASv…””
hqhWv F§sW b_]\sf¶v A_n]nÃm]n^p¶p.
“”F´m f½n CSv? f½n]v¡v Ft¶mXv F´v Nm^ykpw b_]¯ntÃ? F´nWm b_]m³ H^p kngfw?””
“”tfmtW ASv Wo C¶s` ^m{Sn Fs¶, ^mtKgn³s_ NqsX…””
tZknhv bp©n^nt]msX hqhsW tWm¡n. Ak³s_ fWÊns`´ms\¶v hqhWv kntkIn¡m³ bän]nÃ.
“”tfmWv Ft¶mXv tUgyfp*v Fs¶Wn¡_n]mw. Mm³…””
Ak³ A¸hf]w NqXn sfuWw SpXÀ¶p.
“”f½n,””
Ak³ knan¨p,
“”Mm³ Ct¸mÄ H^p F©nWo]_nwPv ÌpsZ³äv B\v. FWn¡v f½n S¶Sv Gäkpw Wà knUymeymhfm\v. Gäkpw Wà e£\kpw khv{S§apfm\v. Cu shuN^y§sams¡ FWn¡v Nn«m³ Nm^\w f½n]p*m¡n] b\fm\v. KoknS¯ns` Gäkpw WÃsSms¡ FWn¡v Nn«m³ Nm^\fm] f½n]psX sSmjn`nsW Mm³ SÅn¸_]pw F¶v f½n¡v tSm¶p¶pt*m?””
hqh³ knhvf]t¯msX fNsW tWm¡n.
“”N®p fnjn¡pNs]m¶pw tk*,””
Ak³ AkapsX tSman bnXn¨p,
“”f½n FWn¡v F¶pw dipfmWy]m]n^n¡pw. f½n sI¿p¶Sv fsäÃm N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv sSmjn`ntW]pw tbms` A´ÊpÅSms\¶p fWÊn`m¡mWpÅ bNzSs]ms¡ FWn¡p*v.””
H^p Wq_p Nnt`m em^w Np_ªSv–tbms` hqhWv tSm¶n. CSptbms` H^p {bSnN^\w AkÄ H^n¡`pw fN³s_ emP¯pWn¶pw {bSo£n¨n^p¶nÃ, B{Pin¨n^ps¶¦n`pw.
“”ASpsNm*v f½n]v¡v CãfpÅ Nm`t¯maw ASv SpX^mw,””
Ak³ SpXÀ¶p.
“”Ct¸mÄ Mm³ H^p ÌpsZ³äv fm{Sfà f½n, b`À¡pw skdv– Znssh³ Hs¡ sI]vSp sNmXp¡p¶p*v. In` kÀ¡p¡sams¡ sI]vSp ASymklyw Nmlp*m¡p¶p*v. ASpsNm*v f½n]psX tKm`n FWn¡v tfmlfm]n¯pX§n F¶ tSm¶Â D*mkmSn^n¡mWm\v f½n]v¡v CãfpÅ Nm`w ks^ ASv SpX^mw F¶v b_ªSv.””
“”tfmtW f½n¡v Cu sSmjn WnÀ¯m³ bänÃ. Nps_ dÔ§apw bns¶…””
“”f½n, H^p Nm^yw Mm³ Sp_¶p b_]mw. Fs¶ kaÀ¯n]Spw FWn¡v Gäkpw Wà knUymeymhw S¶Spw f½n l^o^w knän«m\v. ASntWmsXWn¡v– Wµn]pw NX¸mXpw CÃmsS k^ptfm? tks_m¶v, f½n, CWn Cu sSmjn SpX^* F¶v Mm³ b_ªm F´m ASnWÀ°w? FWns¡t´m H^p Wm\t¡Xv Ds*¶tÃ? AsSWn¡v H^n¡`pw D*mknÃ. bns¶ f½n, kas^ sI_p¸ftÃ? F¶v sk¨m fp¸¯©v. Fs¶ {bhkn¡pt¼mÄ f½n]v¡v sk_pw bSnW©v k]Êv fm{SftÃ]p*m]n^p¶pÅq? Cu sI_n] {bm]¯n H^m\nÂWn¶v Nnt«*Sv NqXmsS Kokn¡m³ f½n]v¡v F´m]m`pw bänÃ. A§sW H^p bmXv Nm^\§Ä D*v. At¸mÄ Fs¶¸än f½n In´n¡pNt] tk*. CãvXfpÅ Nm`t¯maw f½n]v¡v CSv SpX^mw.””
“”CSptbms` {co B] H^p co`nwPv C§sW BUyfm]n«m F³s_ sbm¶ptfmsW,””
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”H¯n^ns]m¯n^n Wµn.””
“”H^p A½ fNtWmXv– Wµn b_]p¶Sv H^p kÃm¯ hnäptkgWm F³s_ f½n. bns¶ A{S]v¡v {co co sI¿p¶ps* Wfp¡Sv BtQmgn¡mw. sXu\n H^p hnWnf]v¡v tbmNmw.””
“”FWn¡v Wq_p h½Sw,””
AkÄ b_ªp. bns¶ AkÄ tNm«pkm]n«p.
“”F´m f½n, km sbman¡ps¶? D_¡w k^p¶pt*m? C¶s` l^n¡v D_§n]ntÃ, Mm³ ASv N*p F¶m sX³g³ Nm^\w?””
AkÄ bp©n^n¨p.
“”Cà tfmtW. bns¶ C§sW km sbman¡p¶¯nWp tks_ H^p Nm^\w D*v.””
“”F´m ASv?””
AkapsX fpO¯v `Ö A^n¨n_§p¶Sv tZknhv N*p.
“”F´m f½n? Wm\n¡msS b_. f½n]psX ss`cns` Gäkpw k`n] ho{Näv tbm`pw W½Ä sg]À sI]vSntÃ? Wfp¡nWn sdÌv {c*vhv BNmw. sdÌv {c*vhv H^p ^ihykpw f_¨p sk¡nÃ.””
“”Wn³s_ sdÌv {c*v BNmWpÅ t]mPyS FWn¡pt*m Np«m?””
“”f½ns]t¸ms` H^p fnXp¡n¡p«n]psX sdÌv {c*v BNmWpÅ t]mPyS N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv FWn¡pt*m F¶m\v F³s_ hwl]w. ASv tbms«, F´nWm km sbmant¨? ASn³s_ Nm^\w b_.””
“”tfmtW ¹ohv, WnWs¡m¶pw tSm¶^pSv.f½n]v¡v k`n¡p¶ lo`fp*v. C¶`s¯ sX³gWv hnPs^äv– fpjpk³ Mm³ k`n¨p SoÀ¯p. Ct¸mÄ H¶v bpNs]Xp¡p¶ hf]fm. ASpsNm*m km sbman¡ps¶.””
tZknhv AUvepSs¸«v Ss¶ tWm¡p¶Sv hqh³ N*p.
“”f½n k`n¡ptfm?””
Ak³ tImUn¨p, knhvf]t¯msX.
“”tfmtW ASv Ct¸mÄ lo`fm]n. bns¶ F³s_ b\n WnW¡_n]mftÃm. At¸mÄ AsSms¡…””
F³s_ f½o,””
Ak³ Fjpt¶äp.
“”FknsX tbmNpkm.””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”f½n]psX {dm³Zv GSm?
“”F¶psk¨mÂ?””
“”f½n k`n¡p¶ hnPs^än³s_ tb^v F´ms\¶v?””
“”Mm³ k`n¡p¶ hnPs^äv–, hmVm^\]m]n tPmÄZv– cvs`]vNv NnwPv– sshhv. Asæn knÂhv.””
“”H^p A©p fnWnäv. MmWn¸w k^mw. bns¶ C¶v W½Ä fmänWn Nm\m³ tbmNp¶p, Hmt¡?””
“”Hmt¡,””
AkÄ In^n¨p.
tZknhv ssd¡v ÌmÀ«v sI]vSp tbm]n.

hqh³ AXp¡a]nÂt¸m]n Nm¸n]n«p. ASneoN^fm]n Ft´m hwekn¡psf¶v Sm³ e]s¸«Sv– {bSo£n¡m¯^oSn]n hpOb^ykhm]n]m]n fm_n]Sn³s_ ht´mgw AkapsX fpO¯p*m]n^p¶p. Nm¸n Sna¸n¨v– H^n_¡v NpXn¨p Njnªt¸mÄ B\v. kjn]^nNn Smfhn¡p¶ Npª¸sâ ko«n tZknhnWv tk*n H^p bmjvh k¶p NnX¸p*v F¶v ^tfl³ b_ªSv hqhWv HmÀ½ k¶Sv. C¶s` Wà Nmäpw fj]pw Nm^\w tbmÌpfm³ ASv AknsX CXpN]m]n^p¶p. A¸w Njn]pt¼mÄ Npª¸³ sNm*pk¶p S^pfm]n^n¡pw. CX]vs¡ms¡ A]mÄ¡v Sm³ fp`¡v Hs¡ bnXn¨v sM¡m³ AWpkUn¡m_pÅSm\v. ASpsNm*v b_]msS Ss¶ A_nªp sI¿pw A]mÄ. bs£ tk*. Fs´¦n`pw {bVmWs¸« hmVW§sa Fs´¦n`pfmsW¦nt`m? H^©p fnWnäv tbm`pw tk*tÃm. tZknhv hnPs^äv– km§n k^pt¼mta¡pw SWn¡v Sn^ns¨¯mw.
hqh³ Npª¸sâ ko«nt`¡p WX¶p. ko«ns`¯n “”Npª¸m”” F¶v knan¡m³ SpX§ns]¦n`pw AN¯pWn¶v tN« lÐw Aksa kn`¡n.
“”AªXns¡Xm ssft^, “”
hqh³ H^p hv{So lÐw tN«p. ASv Npª¸³s_ S¦½]psX lÐfm\v. Hm, At¸mÄ ^*pw NqXn sbm^nª Nan]m\v. hqh³s_ Ip*n bp©n^n knXÀ¶p. tfmlfm\v. Ak^psX hzNm^yS]nt`¡v C§sW {btkln¡p¶Sv. AkÄ Sn^nªp WX¡m³ emkn¨p. bs£ Wn¶v k¶ AXp¯ km¡pNÄ AknsX¯s¶ Wn¡m³ Aksa t{b^n¸n¨p.
“”F¶m `qhmXo ssft^ Wn³s_ bq_v,””
Nan]psX N`n¸n Npª¸³ S¦½t]mXv b_]p¶Sv hqh³ tN«p.
“”MmWn¸m¯t¸mÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wns¶ ktÃm^pw k¶v- Du¡o«p tbmNm_pt*m?””
“”tbmXm Npt®, F³s_ tbm`s¯ N^n¼q_v B^v Du¡mWmXm? AsSms¡ Wo tWm¡n skÅw knXp¶ B hqh³ bq_n]ntà Aksa B^n¡pw,””
BªXn¡p¶ hz^w. Npª¸sâ fp^ĨNapw S¦½]psX hpOho¡m^kpw sNm*v A´^o£w Wn_ªp.
“”Wfs¡ms¡ skÅw C_¡mWtà ssft^ bäptkmÅq? Akav Wà AÊ tWm«pw sNm*v sIÃp¶kÀs¡ bq_p sNmXp¡s¯mÅv…””
“”Biv Biv.. B F¶m AXn]mXm …Bkq ..ssft^ ..bq_p sbman¡p¶ AXn…Wn§av B\p§av fm{Skà bq_ntfmtW hqhsW tWm¡n skÅsk_¡ps¶. M§Ä sb®p§apw Hs*Xm…Duiv …Hivi…””
hqhWv AsSm^p AUvepS kmÀ¯]m]n^p¶p. hN` B\p§Ä¡pw Sm³ H^p {em´v Bs\¶v AkÄ A_nªn^ps¶¦n`pw hv{SoNÄ NqXn S¶nt`¡v BNÀgn¡s¸« knk^w AkÄ¡_n]nÃm]n^p¶p.
“”§vti? sb®p§aptkm? sNmÅmtÃm…Bs^ms¡?””
hqh³ S¦½]psX D¯^¯nWm]n NmSpNÄ NqÀ¸n¨p.
“”Cu Mm³. bns¶ hpiv_, G`n]m½, lm^U…Ct{Sw tbs^ FWn¡_n]mw. M§Ä Ct{Sw tb^v hqhsW HmÀ¯v bqän skÅw k^p¯p¶pt* CWow Nm\¯ntà tkt_w Nj¸n¸q_nNÄ?””
hqh³ l^n¡pw A´w kn«ptbm]n. Ss¶ HmÀ¯p Cu sb®p§Ä¡pw bqän skÅw k^m_pt*m? AkÄ¡v H^p tNm^n¯^n¸v AWpeks¸«p. sbs«¶v- M^¼pNÄ k`nªv sbm«p¶Sv AkÄ¡v AWpeks¸«p. bq_n WWkv– Wn_]p¶p. N´v S^n¡p¶p. fp`¡®v SpXn¡p¶p. AkÄ ssN¯`w sNm*v fp*nWv tf bq_n AfÀ¯n. en¯ntf fm_nXw AfÀ¯n fp`¡®pNÄ tIÀ¯p^¨p.
sbs«¶v Ak^psX A`À¨Napw ho¡m^kpw NqXpS D¨¯n tN«p. ^*ptbÀ¡pw skXn sbm«ns]¶p tSm¶p¶p.
“”AsS¶m Wn§Ä sb®p§Ä hqhsW HmÀ¯v bqän skÅw Hjp¡ps¶ ?””
“”hqhsâ sfmOw N*m¯s¶ GSv sb®nWmXm sNmSn k^ms¯? hnäo F§mWpw B^pt¶Â kà hnWnfm¡m^pw Aksa sNmt*mt]sW. bns¶ F¶m fpj¯ sfm`..fpjp¸v fm{Stfm …F¶m H^p tg¸m…Wo sfmssd`n Nm\n¨p S^p¶ Cw¥ogv fUm½fm^psXSv tbms`…B Nm`pw sSmtXw I´ow…F³s_ At½..sb®m]n bn_¶ B^pw sNmSn¨p sNmSn¨p b*m^kX§pw…””
hmkVmWw A`À¨Napw ho¡m^kpfX§n.
“”Hm, F³s_ sbt®,””
Npª¸sâ lÐw hqh³ tN«p.
“”hqh³ F¶m skXn]m! F{S tb^v Du¡p¶Sm Aksa. bs£ Hmt^m Unkthmw Njn]p¼jpw B shuµ^yw NqXn¡qXn k^pktÃ?””
fp`N®pNÄ en¯n]n AfÀ¯n]p^¨v f_pbXn¡v hqh³ Nm¯n^p¶p.
“”At¿m skXn Fs¶m¶pw hqhsW knan¡tÃ. Akav l^n¡pb_ªm N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv bmkktÃXm? F{St]m tbÀ¡v Fs´ms¡ him]§Ä sI¿p¶p!””
“”At¿m AsSm¶pw A_n]mªn«Ã S¦t½. sWW¡_n]ntà FWn¡v Aksa Ft´m^w CãvtXmw dipfmtWmw Bs\¶v. bns¶ Cu fqZn skXn Fs¶ms¡ b_]pw¼w skXn, bq_n, Np® Fs¶ms¡ b_]p¶Stà H^p {SnÂ?””
“”Wfp¡pw Ft´m^w him]w sI]vsS¡p¶p!””
CWn]pw S³s_ hm¶nVyw f_¨p skt¡* F¶v hqhWv tSm¶n. Ss¶¡p_n¨v tN« km¡pNÄ hqhsW kÃmsS b^kl]m¡n]n^p¶p. Ss¶ ]TmÀ°fm]pw hvtWin¡p¶k^pw CãvXsbXp¶k^pw D*v. bmjvh FXp¡pN. ko«n tbmkpN. tZknhv Ct¸mÄ k^pw. bns¶ e£\fp*m¡pN. ASv Njnªv hnWnf]v¡v tbmNm³ H^p§pN
AkÄ H¶v- Ipf¨p.
bns¶ knan¨p:
“”S¦t½,””
AN¯p Wn¶v- AkÀ C^pk^pw C_§n k¶p.
Aksa¡*v AkÀ C^pk^pw In^n¨psNm*v ANt¯¡v knan¨p.
Wà sNmjp¯p^p* fVyk]hv¡]m\v S¦½. C^pWn_w. SXn¨ knXÀ¶ Ip*pNÄ. A¸w k]_p*v. ASv bs£ AkapsX fmUN emks¯ Nq«pt¶]pÅq. Nó fp`NÄ. ASv NqÀ¯v fpt¼m«v– SÅn Wn¡pw. Wà knXÀ¶ SÅn Wn¡p¶ I´nNÄ. WX¡pt¼mÄ Ak]psX I`Ww ASne]¦^fm\v. fp*v Ft¸mjpw I´nknXknt`¡v N]_n¡nX¡pw. b` {bmklyw S¦½]v¡v I´n knXkn ssN¿n«v fp*v bp_t¯¡v k`n¨ntX*n k¶n«p*v.
“”Hm B sbmSns¡«v sNm*ptbmNm³ k¶Smt\m?””
S¦½ tImUn¨p.
“”AsS, S¦t½. Ft´y?””
“”At¿m ASpwsNm*v Mm³ At§m«p k^m^p¶tÃm,””
Npª¸³ b_ªp.
Npª¸³s_ t^mf§Ä Wn_ª fm_n Wn_s] kn]À¸v. hqh³ fq¡v knXÀ¯n lzhn¨p. bp^pg³s_ kn]À¸n³s_ PÔw AkÄ¡nãfm\v. Npª¸³ S¦½ Nm\msS sSm«p sSm«nà F¶ f«n`m\v Wn¡p¶Sv. hqhsâ Njp¯n_¡w NqXn] Ipk¶ s»uhnWNs¯ fp`Nan Ss¶]m\v Npª¸sâ N®pNÄ.
“”M§Ä b_ªsSms¡ tN«m^p¶p AtÃ?””
S¦½ tNÄ¡msS hqh³ tImUn¨p.
hqh³ bp©n^n¨p.
“”F¶m A§sW tImUnt¨?””
“”AÃ sfmj¨p Sp_n¨v Wn¡p¶Sv N*¸w tSm¶n,””
AkapsX fp`Nant`¡v tWm¡n Npª¸³ b_ªp.
hqh³ fpOw NpWn¨v fm_nt`¡v tWm¡n. l^n]m\v. fp`N®pNÄ l^n¡pw Sp_n¨p sbm§n Wn¸p*v.
“”S¦t½, Wo sNm_¨v N«³ CXv. MmWm sbmSn FXp¯v sNmXp¡s«,””
“”l^n,””
S¦½ ANt¯¡v tbm]n.
F¶n«v Npª¸³ hqhtWmXv b_ªp.
“”km, Mm³ FXp¯v S^mw,””
A]mÄ Aksa N®p Nm\n¨p. hqh³ A]mapsX bn¶ms` sI¶p. b{S§apw fmhnNNapw km^nk`n¨n«n^p¶ H^p sI_n] fp_n]n N]_n] N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv DXtW Npª¸³ hqhsâ I´n]n bnXn¨p sM¡n.
“”Npª¸m, S¦½,””
A]mtamXv A¸w NqXn tIÀ¶v- Wn¶v- hqh³ b_ªp.
“”Akav F´m]m`pw b¯v fnWnäv FXp¡pw…””
ASv b_ªp H^p ssN I´ntf Ss¶ sk¨v ftäss¡sNm*v– A]mÄ AkapsX fp` s»uhnWp fosS NqXn bnXn¨p sM¡n.
“”Duip…ivhyq…””
bnXp¯¯n³s_ hpO¯n hqh³ ho¡m^fn«p.
“”N«³ B]n,””
bp_¯v Wn¶v- S¦½]psX lÐw AkÀ tN«p.
“”ssf^v!””
A]mÄ bn_pbn_p¯p.
“”hqh³ Np`p§n In^n¨p.
“”F³s_ hqht½…F³s_Xo …H¶v- B fp*v sbm¡n bq_p H¶v- Nm\nt¨Xo..¹ohv…””
“”A¿Xm, MmsW§pw Nm\nt¡z`..AtS…AS§sW Ip½m Nm\n¡m³ HÅSÃ…””
“”km Npª¸m..sbmSn Nn«otÃ? ASm ^*p f^¡¼n³s_ FtX H*tÃm,””
ko*pw S¦½]psX lÐw AkÀ tN«p.
“”f^¡¼n³s_ FtX¶v- sbmSn FXp¡pkm S¦t½,””
Npª¸³ knan¨p b_ªp.
“”H¶v- Nm\n¡v hqht½, ¹ohv,””
“”tbm Npª¸m, Wos]¶m C¸_]ps¶? Wn³s_ sb{¼t¶m¯n sk«pN¯n FXp¡pw,””
hqh³ A]mapsX tSman bnXn¨p bnt¼m«p SÅn.
“”l^n hqh½ bq_p Nm\n¡p¶ntÃÂ tk*. Mm³ fp*v sbm¡n Nm\n¡mw. F³s_ Np® H¶v- Nm\mtkm?””
“”H¶v- tbm Npª¸m, FXm Wn³s_ sb{¼t¶m¯n Nm\qXm,””
“”CsÃs¶, ¹ohv, hqht½, H¶v- tWm¡v..Um..sbs«¶v- H¶v- tWm¡n]m fSn…Akav Nm\ptk`,””
“”Npª¸m k^mtW,””
ko*pw bp_¯v Wn¶v- AkÀ S¦½]psX knantN«p.
B Wnfngw Ss¶ Npª¸³ fp*v sbm¡n. A*Àsk]À CXmSn^p¶SnWm Np® sbm§n D]À¶v- Wn¶n^p¶p. Wà Wo*p fpjp¯ N_p¯ Np®. hqhWv N´v S^n¨psbm«p¶Sv tbms` tSm¶n.
AkÄ Ip*pWW¨v AksW tWm¡n.
Npª¸³s_ N®pNÄ Sna§n.
ASn H¶v- bnXn¨psM¡m³ hqh³s_ ssN S^n¨p. bs£ S¦½ GSv hf]kpw k^pw.
ASpsNm*v AkÄ sbs«¶v- Ss¶ bp_¯v NX¶p.
“”Npª¸³ AsS§pw AknsX N*nà S¦t½,””
bp_t¯¡n_§n k¶v- hqh³ b_ªp.
“”C¸w k^pkm^n¡pw,””
“”Npª¸³ tbmSow sNm*v k^s«. hqh³ Nm¸n NpXn. N«Wms\. bm`nÃ,””
“”HÅ bms`ms¡ Ip½m NaªntÃ,””
hqh³ S¦½s] tWm¡n In^n¨p. S¦½]psX N®pNÄ S³s_ fp`Nan`pw FXp¸n`pw S_ªp Wn¡p¶Sv hqh³ N*p.
“”At¿m, ASv F³s_ hqht½…ASn]mWv C¡m^y¯n tWt^mw Nmt`mw H¶pknÃ. W½sa bnXn¡m³ k^p¼w Ss¶ sNmXp¯ntàbns¶ ASv fSn….Aà F§sW fWÊn`m]n?””
Nm¸n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv ¥mhv S¦½ hqh³s_ N¿n sNmXp¯p. AWmklyfm]n S¦½]psX kn^`pNÄ hqh³s_ ssN kn^`pNsa SjpNn At¸mÄ. AkapsX ssN]n IqXv Wn_ªp. Ss¶ hvbÀln¨ Wnfngw Ss¶ Akan Wn¶v- IqXpÅ Wnlzmhfp]^p¶Sv hqh³ {l²n¨p.
A¸w Njnªv Npª¸³ bmjvh`pfm]n C_§n k¶p.
“”C¸jmt\m Nm\ps¶?””
S¦½ tImUn¨p.
“”Hm…F¶m Nm\m³? MmsW§pw H¶pw N*nÃ. hqh½]m N*Sv,””
hqhsâ tWs^ tWm¡n]m\v Npª¸³ ASv b_ªSv. ASv b_ªv A]mÄ S¦½ Nm\msS hqhsW tWm¡n N®n_p¡n. hqh³ bp©n^n¨p sNm*v Nm¸n NpXn¨n_¡n.
AXp¯n^n¡pt¼mÄ b`t¸mjpw S¦½]psX ssN]pw tUikpw hqhsW D^p½n. At¸msjms¡ S¦½]psX sNmjp¯ tUi¯v Wn¶v-, AkapsX Nó fp`Nan Wn¶v-, AkapsX knXÀ¶p^p* I´nknXkn Wn¶v-, t^mf§Ä kaÀ¶v- Wn_ª bq_n Wn¶pw N£¯n Wn¶pw D]^p¶ fUK`¯n³s_]pw kn]À¸n³s_]pw {Shn¸n¡p¶ PÔkpw Smbkpw hqh³s_ Wmhm^{Ô§ant`¡v AXn¨p N]_n.
Nm¸n NpXn¨p Njnªv hqh³ bmjvh`psfXp¯v C_§n. Npª¸³s_ fpä¯n³s_ bn¼n`qsX]m\v tbmtN*Sv. Ipäpw sI*pfÃn]pw tNmam¼n¸q¡apw kaÀ¶v- Wn¸p*v. Sn^nªp tWm¡n]t¸mÄ Nmän`n`naNp¶ sI*pfÃnNÄ¡Xp¯pÅ fmkn³ Ipk«n Npª¸³ Wn¡p¶Sv AkÄ N*p. AkÄ A]msa tWm¡n bp©n^n¨p. “”S¦½ Ft´y?”” F¶v- N¿p]À¯n BwPy¯n`qsX AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”AN¯m\v, tbXnt¡*,”” F¶ AÀ°¯n A]mapw Sn^n¨v BwPy¯n`qsX D¯^w b_ªp. b_ªp Njnªv A]mÄ DXtW fp*v sbm¡n Aksa At¸mjpw D²^n¨p]À¶ Np® AkÄ¡v Nm\n¨psNmXp¯p. IpäpbmXpw H¶v- Nt®mXn¨SnWv tlgw hqh³ fp*v Smtj¶v- tft`¡v D]À¯n. knXÀ¶v- knhvf]n¨ N®pNtamsX Npª¸w Np® SXkns¡m*v ASv tWm¡n Wn¶p. AkapsX sk®¡ÃpNÄ sNm*v NXsªXp¯Sv tbms`]pÅ Nm`pNapw SpXNapw A]mÄ¡v fp¼n Urlyfm]n. bSns] SpXNÄ¡v fpNant`¡v fp*v D]À¶p.
AXp¯ Wnfngw A]msa knhvf]mVoWWm¡ns¡m*v AXn¸mkmXt]m bmânt]m sNm*v f_ªn«nÃm¯ Npänt^mf§Ä kaÀ¶v- Wn¡p¶, WWªv skÅfnäp¶, hqhsâ hpµ^³ bq_v Npª¸³ N*p.
S³s_ Np® CWn H^n¡`pw SmjnÃm¯ knVw S³s_ Np® D^p¡pN¼ntbms`]m]n^n¡p¶Sv Npª¸³ A_nªp.
“”””fSnt]m?”
hqh³ In^n¨psNm*v knan¨p tImUn¨p.
“”””tbm^m A¸w NqXn,”
“”””Wo tbmXm..tbm]nt«…Wn³s_ sb{¼t¶m¯osW….”
A{S]pw b_ªn«p hqh³ Iq*p kn^`pw sb^pkn^`pw sNm*v kr¯fp*m¡n ftä¡]ns` Iq*p kn^ kr¯¯n`qsX N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv N]äpN]pw C_¡pN]pw sI]vSv Npª¸sW Nm\n¨p.
bns¶ In^n¨psNm*v Sn^nªp tWm¡msS WX¶p.

bmjvh`psfXp¯v hqh³ ko«nt`¡v WX¶p. Npª¸Wpw S¦½]pw S½n`pÅ Nan F´v ^hfm]n^p¶p. ASnWnsX AkÀ Ss¶¡p_n¨v b_ªSv…! bns¶ S¦½]psX St`mX`pw D^p½`pw. tim ..hqhWv Nk¡nX]n S^n¨psbm«m³ SpX§n. AkÄ WX¡p¶SnWnX]n fp*nWp fpNan`qsX bq_v AfÀ¯n sM¡n. Ipäpw tWm¡n]n«v B^pw Cà F¶v- N*t¸mÄ fp*v fmän bq_nt`¡v tWm¡n. bq_p fpjpk³ WWªv Npafm]n^n¡p¶Sv AkÄ N*p. H^p sbm´]psX f_kn bq_p knXÀ¯n NpWnªn^p¶v AkÄ H^p ssNsNm*v Btklt¯msX kn^`pNÄ bq_n`pw ftäss¡NsNm*v N´n`pw tkP¯n Nl¡nsM^n¨p.
“”””B…ssf^v…Bkq…”
bq_nt`¡v fq¶v- kn^`pNÄ Np¯n]n_¡n tkP¯n Du^n]Xn¨v bns¶]pw Np¯n]n_¡n AkÄ ho¡m^fn«p. At¸mÄ kjn]n`qsX Bs^¦n`pw k¶n^ps¶¦n Sm³ bq_n`pw N´n`pw kn^ Np¯n]n_¡n hpOn¡p¶Sv Bs^¦n`pw N*n^ps¶¦n F¶v- AkÄ Nmf¡j¸n B{Pin¨p. kjn]n`qsX Bs^¦n`pw tbmNp¶ps*¦n AkÀ tNÄ¡pkm³ tk*n AkÀ ho¡m^¯n³s_ lÐw Nq«n. bq_ns` fUK`¯n kn^`pNÄ Bªp Np¯n]n_¡n AkÄ lÐw Nq«n.
“”Hm..ssf^v …F³s_]o Np¯n¡j¸v F¶m ssUktf H¶v- fm_ps¶…?””
AkapsX Ipk¶ Ip*pNÄ bnaÀ¶p. Ct¸mÄ skXnsbm«pw F¶v- AkÄ¡v tSm¶n. hpO`i^n]psX H^p fpiqÀ¯¯n AkÄ bSns] S` bnt¼m«p sI^n¨t¸mÄ fp¼n S¦¨³ Wn¡p¶Sv N*p.
sbs«¶kÄ ImXns]jpt¶äp. `p¦n sNm*v SpX]pw A^]pw f_¨p.
“”fpÅpkm^p¶p,””
AkÄ In^n¨p.
‘B^pt¶m?’
A]mÄ AXp¯v k¶v AkapsX ssNkn^`n bnXn¨p. Ak]n]n bpSªn^p¶ fUK`¯n³s_ sNmjp¸v S³s_ kn^`pNan A]mÄ D^hn¸nXn¸n¨p.
“”fq{Sw Wn³s_ bq_n SXªp sNX¡pkm^pt¶m?’
“”At¿, Cu S¦¨sW¶m Cu b_]ps¶?’
“”Aà Wo bqän ssN¿n«v fq{Sw bp_t¯¡v k`n¨p Na]pkm^pt¶m F¶m tImUnt¨?””
“”tbm S¦¨m H¶v-,””
At¸mjpw A]mÄ AkapsX kn^¯p¼pNans` fUK`sNmjp¸v S³s_ ssN]n tS¨pbnXn¸n¡pN]m]n^p¶p.
“”Wns¶ WÃ Nj¸p fq¯v Wn¡p¶ hf]¯v Ss¶ Nn«\w. F¶m ssbhmsX BklyfnÃtÃm. ASm]Sv CSv tbm`pÅ hf]w,””
AkapsX fp`NÄ sM¡ns¡m*v A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”bns¶…F¶m hf]¯v k¶m`pw hmVWw tkt\Â ssbhm S^\w . AÃmsS sNmXp¡nÃ,””
A]mÄ¡v l^n¡v bnXn¡m³ A¸w NqXn AXp¯v Wn¶psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”C¶m bnXnt¨m,””
A]mÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv fp*v fmän A*Àsk]_n³s_ Nol]n Wn¶v- tWm«pNÄ FXp¯v AkÄ¡v Wo«n.
AkÄ b\w s»uhnWpÅn sk¨p.
“”FknsX]m?””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”CknsX sk¨p Ss¶,””
fp*v fmän AkapsX WWªv Npjª bq_n kn^ N]äns¡m*v A]mÄ b_ªp.
“”im..iyq…kq…””
A]mapsX hpOw WÂNn] hpO¯n ho¡m^fn«psNm*v AkÄ N®pNaX¨p
“”CknsXt]m?’
“”Ct§m«m^pw k^nÃs¶…k¶ms`¶m…Wo Cu Wm«ns` skXn]ms\¶v- FÃmÀ¡pw A_n]mw…Ak^v tWm¡n Np®s]Xp¯v sSm`n¨Xn¨p skÅw Naªn«v sbmt¡mapw,””
ASv b_ªv S¦¨³ Aksa bp`v¸^¸n f`À¯n¡nX¯n. Ipäpw H¶v- tWm¡n]n«v hqh³ NkNÄ AN¯n.
“”B^pw k^nt]s`Xo…””
AkapsX tWm«w N*v– S¦¨³ b_ªp.
S¦¨³ A*Àsk]À Ajn¨p Np® bp_s¯Xp¡p¶Sv hqh³ Ip*pNÄ bnaÀ¯n AV^w WW¨psNm*v tWm¡nWn¶p.
“”tWs^ bqänt`¡mt\m..H¶v- Du¼m³ Sm S¦¨m,””
A]mÄ Np® Smtj¡v sNm*v tbmNp¶Sv N*v– hqh³ tImUn¨p.
“”bqän BUyw H¶v- Np¯o«v BNmXo,””
A]mapsX Np® fUK`¯n³s_ tbÌn`qsX, N´nsW D^¨fÀ¯ns¡m*v AN¯nbnaÀ¯nsk¨ AkapsX bq_nt`¡n_§n.
“”HmHivivtimH..t½m…F³s_…””
AkÄ D¨¯n ho¡m^fn«p.
“”CSn³s_ ^ihysk¶SmXo?””
Bªp Du¡ns¡m*v A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”F{S Np® tN_n] bq_m CSv? C{S tb^v Nl¡n hpOn¨ sfm`]m Wn³s_…F¶n«pw Wn³s_ Du¡v {bm´v CSpks^ fm_m¯sS¶m?””
“”Hmiyq…lyo,,iyq..hyq…””
Hmt^m AXn¡pw AkÄ A^s¡«p]À¯n A]mapsX Du¡nWv f_p Du¡v sNmXp¯p.
“”ASv fm{Stkm…C§sW sb^pkjo bq_n kn^ tNän Nj¸v fmä\w F¦n ..F³s_ hqhtW ..Wn³s_ H^p H¶^ Nj¸mXo C¸jpw…””
A]mÄ D]À¶v-, kaªv làn]m]n Aksa Du¡n. AkÄ AsS làn]n A^s¡«p sbm¡n A]mapsX Np®]psX Np¯nsW tW^n«p.
“”sfm` tkt*Xm…””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”kjn]tÃ…s»uhv Ajn¨m sbs«¶v- Bt^`pw k¶mÂ…””
“”hm^fnÃ…””
H^p ssNsNm*v s»uhv Ajn¨psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”Wo b_ªtbms` S¦¨m Mm³ H^p skXn B¶v FÃmÀ¡pw A_n]mw. Nm\s«Xm Bt^`pw Hs¡ …Wo Fs¶ ssbhm S¶v- kjo C«v Du¡ps¶…””
AkapsX k`n] sNmjp¯ skap¯ fp`NÄ ^*p t¥mdpNÄ tbms` bp_t¯¡v ImXn.
“”^*p ssNsNm*pw bnXn¨v sM¡v,””
A]mÄ fp` Nl¡m³ SpX§n]t¸mÄ AkÄ b_ªp.
Mm³ dm`³hv sI]vSv Wnt¶mamw. ^*p ssNsNm*pw fp` N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv l^n¡v sM¡n]pX¨v Du¡v…””
S¦¨sâ b^p¡³ ssNNÄ AkapsX Sp_n¨psbm§n] fp`NapsX fmwh¡«n]n bSnªp. fp`]n`pw bq_n`pw H^pfn¨p hpOw k¶t¸mÄ AkapsX l^o^w knÃvtbms` kaªp.
“”iyq..kqhv..hyq…loÈvlv…””
AkÄ bm¼nsWt¸ms` Ioän.
“”FXo ssft^…Wo F{S sNmÃkms]Xo C§sW skXn]m]n«v?””
Np® sNm*v bq_p SpaªptbmNp¶ làn]n BªnXn¨psNm*v S¦¨³ tImUn¨p.
“”BimAiv …..Bkq..sku….F¶m Du¡mXm ssft^..im]v …im]v…b¯n^pbSv sNmÃw Bs]Xm…F¶m tImUnt¨?””
“”ssf^v ..FWn«mt\m C¸jpw Wn³s_ sfm` C§sW Sp_n¨psbm§n]n^n¡ps¶…F¶m H^p NÃn¸mXo C¸jpw…””
fp`NÄ Bªp Nl¡n M^n¨psNm*v A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”Hm..ASmt\m ..ASv A{S k`n] ho{N«v H¶v-kà ….F³s_ bq_p Spa¡p¶ Wn³s_ Np®]ntÃ…ASv tbms` F{S Npt®s¶mÅ bm`m\v sfmt` kojpt¶¶v- sWW¡_nt]m? sfm` ^*pw Np®¸m`n Npan¸n¨m fSn. sfmt`sX Sp_n¸pw sS_n¸pw fm_nÃ. Np®¸m`v fpO¯v tS¨v bnXn¸n¨m fSn..FjpbSmw k]Ên`pw tiffm`nWosX shuµ^yw H*mNpw…””
“”Hm…ssft^…FWn¡v k^pkmXo…””
“”Du^v …Du^v…bqän Na]^pSv….””
S¦¨³ sbs«¶v- AkapsX bq_n Wn¶v- Np® k`n¨q^n. AkÄ fpOw A]mapsX A^]ns`¡v sNm*pk¶p. bm Ioänt¸mNp¶SnWp fp¼v AkÄ km]v– bnaÀ¯n Np®ANt¯s¡Xp¯p. IpXp lp¢w km]n Wn_ªp. Np_¨v NpXn¨SnWv tlgw km]n kn^ NX¯n A`v¸sfXp¯v fp`Nan tS¨pbnXn¸n¨p.

“”f½osW B A³kÀ AtWzgn¨n^p¶p,””
C_¨n A^n]pN]m]n^p¶ hqhtWmXv tZknhv b_ªp. AkÄ¡v FSns^ Wn¶v- DÅn ssÉhv sI]pN]m]n^p¶p Ak³.
hqh³ H^p Ipk¶ s»uhv B\v V^n¨n^n¡p¶Sv. H^p N_p¯ `p¦n]pw. `p¦ns]Xp¯v AkÄ SpXNapsX bNpSn sk¨v sbm¡n¡p¯n]n^p¶p. AkapsX SXn¨psNmjp¯ fmUN¯pXNapw ks^tbms` Bj¯n`pÅ fp`knXkpw s»uhnWv bp_¯pNqXn¡m\mkp¶ Sp_n¨ fp`Napw Ak³ tWm¡ns¡m*m\v DÅn ssÉhv sI]vSpsNm*n^p¶Sv. AkapsX AV^¯n`n^p¶v bpN]p¶ hnPs^änt`¡v tWm¡n Ak³ CX]v¡nsX A^s¡«v AfÀ¯n¯t`mXn.
“”f½osX FÃm s»uhntâw Njp¯n_¡w Ct{Sw k`pSmt\m?’
Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”Òw…””
fq¡n`qsX bpN]qSn¸_¯n AkÄ fqan.
“”F´m tfmtW?””
hnPs^äv– kn^`nt`s¡Xp¯v AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”C§Ws¯ s»uhm f½n¡v fm¨v. f½osX tim«v tdmZosX FÃm emtPmw l^n¡v Nm\mw At¶^w,””
AkapsX fp`NapsX knXknt`¡v tWm¡n Ak³ b_ªp.
“”Bt\m?””
AkÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv NpWnªv fp`Nant`¡v tWm¡ns¡m*v AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”FWn¡mt\ tbXn]m^p¶p. CSptbms` sfm`s]ms¡ Nm\n¡p¶ s»uhv Hs¡]n«m Wo F¶m knIm^n¡pw Ft¶mÀ¯v ….C¸w GSm]m`pw hfmVmWkm]n. F³s_ emPyw FWn¡v CSv tbms` H^p tfmtW Nn«oSnÂ,””
Ak³ bp©n^n¨p.
“”F´m C§sW N®pb_n¡msS tWm¡ps¶?””
“”Ct{Sw shuµt^ymw sk¨v C§sW fp¼n Wn¶m F§Wm N®pb_n¡ps¶, f½n?””
“”Hmtim..b_tªm b_tªm tNÄ¡m³ hpOfp*v,””
Ak³s_ tWs^ bpN]qSnkn«psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”hpOn¸n¡m³ b_ªSÃ f½o,””
Ak³ b_ªp.
“”gm^qOvOm³ NmK`nsW FXp¯v tbm¡p¶Sv tbms` f½osW FXp¯v sbm¡mWm tSm¶pt¶. At{Sw hpµ^n,””
B km¡pNÄ Akan H^p tNm^n¯^n¸p*m¡n. B^m\v b_]p¶Sv tN^a hwØmWs¯ Gäkpw hpµ^³.
“”FXp¯v sbm¡*m¶p f½n b_ªnÃtÃm,””
BNÀgNfm]n bpN]qSn¸_¯n AkÄ b_ªp.
Ak³ AkapsX AXpt¯¡v k¶p. Aksa ^*p ssNNÄ sNm*pw tNm^ns]Xp¯p. AkapsX Njp¯pw fm_nXkpw Ct¸mÄ Ak³s_ fpO¯nWv– hfobfm]n.
“”sku-“”
AkÄ BËmUt¯msX knan¨p.
“”Fs¶ F{S Cuhn]m]n«m Wo sbm¡ns]Xps¯! Ct{Sw N^p¯pw dt`mw Hs¡ F³s_ tfmWpt*m?””
Aksa Ak³ k«w N_¡n.
“”l^n¡pw gm^qOvOm³ tbm`pw NmK`nsW Ct{Sw tI`m]n«v sbm¡ns]Xp¯v Nm\nÃ…C¸w l^n¡pw …l^n¡pw ….””
hqh³s_ fnjnNÄ Wn_ªp. AkapsX knXÀ¶v- Wo* Nm´ làn]pÅ ewPn]pÅ fnjnNÄ N®pWo^n NpSnÀ¶p.
“”f½o?””
tZknhv kÃmSm]n.
“”F´m f½o?””
Ak³ Ip*pNÄ AkapsX N®pNant`¡v AXp¸n¨p. Ip*pNÄ sNm*v Ak³ AkapsX N®pWos^m¸n.
“”tfmtW…’
AkapsX lÐw kn_¨p.
tZknhv hmkVmWw Aksa Smsj]n_¡n.
fp¼ns` Nth^]n C^p¯n. F¶n«v AkÄ¡enfpOfm]n AkWpw C^p¶p.
“”tfmtWmXv MmWn¶v- ASv b_]mw,””
bm¡äv Sp_¶v- AkÄ hnPs^äv– FXp¯v Ip*pNÄ¡nX]n sk¨p. tZknhv ss`äÀ FXp¯v ASv N¯n¨psNmXp¯p.
“”Mm³ F´m\v F¶v- tfmWv Ct¸mÄ W¶m]n A_n]mw,””
bpN]qSn kn«v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”tkly, skXn, Nj¸vNm^n… A§sW Nps_ km¡pNÄ D*m]m MmWm]n. bSnW©mw k]Ên`m tfm³ F³s_ k]än k¶Sv. tfm³s_ A¸Wv A¶v- bSnsW«v k]tÊ DÅq. A¶s¯ F³s_ {bm]¯n³s_ sSa¸pw ko«ns` hmiIt^ymw Hs¡]m\v Nm^\w. FWn¡v k]än`p*v F¶_nªv Ft¶w Nq«n ssit_©ns`¡v tbmNmWn^p¶Sm tfm³s_ A¸³. tbmNm³ tW^w Np_¨v Nmlpfm]n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv k^mw F¶v- b_ªv FWn¡v Dt½w Ss¶¨m A¨m]³ tbmt]. bs£ sNmt_ Njnªv A¨m]³s_ Nq«pNm^³ tSmfhv– Np«n N^ªv knant¨m*v HmXnk¶p. hqho tbms]Xo. W½sX ftWmKv– tbms]Xo…””
ftWmKv– Bän sbm§n¡nX¡p¶p, lkfm]n!
Nm^yf_nªt¸mÄ Mm³ tdmVw sN«pko\p. B Npªv {bm]¯n FWn¡v k]än H*v F¶_nªv A¸³ f`dm_nWv tbmNm³ So^pfmWn¨p. A§sW]m\v A¸Wpw At½w tfm³s_ B³_nfm^pw A½m¨³fm^pw Hs¡ CknsX kt¶. Fs¶ Cu Nm^yw b_ªv Db{Ukn¨nà F¶v- fm{SkÃ, Ak^v ht¸mÀ«v B^p¶p,””
hqh³ H¶v- WnÀ¯n. bpN BhzUn¨p k`n¨p.
“”f½n¡v Ht^ H^m{Pitk HÅq. tfm³s_ A¸sW sNm¶Sv B^m¶v FWn¡_n]\w. F´nWm¶pw. tfm³ A¸sW kmÀ¯v sk¨tbms`]m. tfm³ Fs¶ FXp¯v tbm¡o¸w Mm³ A¨m]sW HmÀ¯p. Nm^yw C¸w Mm³ Cu b\n BhzUn¨m sI¿pt¶. C§sW b`^ptXw IqXv S«n Kokn¡m³ Wà hpOkm. sNmSow fm_o«nÃ. AÊ Nj¸v t^mPw B\v F¶v- f½n¡_n]mw. InNnÕ Hs¡ sI]vSp Cu Nj¸v fmäm³ f½n tWm¡oSm. bs£ InNnÕn¡m³ k¶ tZmNvät^w sbj¸n¨p MmWn§p tbm¶p…. C¸w C§Wmt\`pw tfm³s_ A¸³ H*m^pt¶Â f½n C§sW BknÃm^p¶p…””
AkapsX km¡pNÄ tZknhn³s_ N®pNapw WW¨p. Nps_ tW^w Ak³ In´mfPvWWm]n.
“”tfmsW´m HmÀ¡t\?””
hqh³ tImUn¨p.
“”H¶pfnà f½o,””
Ak³ bp©n^nt]msX b_ªp.
ASv NÅfm]n^p¶p.
fWÊn H^p {bSnÚs]Xp¡pN]m]n^p¶p tZknhv.
AksW Mm³ Ns*¯pw f½n.
f½ns] knVk]m¡n]ksW.
FWn¡v A¸sW WãvXs¸Xp¯n]ksW.
hqhtWmXv bs£ Ak³ ASv b_ªnÃ.
bp_¯v b_ªv {bSnÚ]psX Dugvfmkv WãvXs¸Xp¯m³ Ak³ B{Pin¨nÃ.
N¯n Wn¡s« ASv.

A`vbw Njnªp tZknhv tWm¡pt¼mÄ NSNv Sp_¶p k^p¶Spw hqh³ NX¶p k^p¶Spw N*p. Ssâ fp³bn N* NmjvI tZknhnsW knhvfnSWm¡n.
“”””F´m tfmsW C§sW tWm¡ps¶?”
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”””Fsâ f½n, Cu hm^n]n f½n]psX shuµ^yw F{S C^«n]m]n Ft¶m? Ct¸mÄ N{SoW ssNcv– Aà F¶v B^pw b_]nÃ.”
Aksâ N®pNÄ Ssâ l^o^w fpjpk³ sbmSn]p¶Sv Aksa tNm^n¯^n¸n¨p. AkapsX skap¯ l^o^w, Wo* Nm´làn]pÅ N®pNÄ, Wo* fq¡v, ewPn]pÅ, Wo*p kn^`pNÄ, fpjp¯, Sp_n¨ fp`NÄ, HSp§n] ewPn]pÅ A^s¡«v, knXÀ¶ k`n] I´nNÄ, BNrSns]m¯ SXn¨ SpXNÄ, ASnewPn]pÅ bmU§Ä. F§sW]pÅ l^o^s¯ fqXn Ipk¶ hm^n. hm^n¡pw s»uhnWpw{dm]v¡pw AkapsX SXn¨p sNmjp¯ fpjp¯ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv fp`NapsX Abm^ k`n¸s¯ f_¡m³ NjnªnÃ. hm^n¡pw AXn¸mkmX¡pw bmânhnWpw AkapsX knXÀ¶ fpjp¯ I´nNapsX k`n¸s¯ fqXnsk¡m³ NjnªnÃ. AkapsX ftWmi^fm] Ipk¶ AV^¯n fm{SfÃ, ewPn]pÅ Nknan fm{SfÃ, Aksâ N®pNÄ AkapsX l^o^w fpjpk³ tfªp WX¶p. ASnsâ IqXv AkÄ A_nªp. Ss¶ C§sW tWm¡p¶Sv GSp sb®pw sNmSn¡p¶ shuµ^yfpÅ, bp^pgSzw DÅ Ssâ fN³ B\v. GSp hnWnf WXWp*v Cu shuµ^yw? GSp Nm]nN S^¯nWp*v Cu l^o^ewPn?
“”””Fsâ sbm¶ptfmsW Wo Fs¶ C§sW tWm¡tÃXm”
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”””fmW¯p fp«n Fsâ S` sbm«ntbmNpw”
“”””f½n Fs¶]pw C§sW tWm¡tÃ, Fsâ S`]pw sbm«ntbmNpw,”
Ak³ In^n¨p.
“”””f½n, f½n¡v Ct¸mÄ fp¸¯n A©p k]Êv Ds*¶tà b_sª?”
“”””AsS”
“”””Fsâ f½n, H^p C^pbSp k]Ên NqXpS H«pw b_]nà f½n¡v.”
AkapsX fpO¯v ASn ewPn]pÅ H^p Wm\w Ak³ N*p.
“”””tfmsW”
AkÄ t¢m¡n tWm¡n.
“”””H¶v k`n¡m³ hf]fpt*mXm?”
“”””H¶Ã”
Ak³ b_ªp,
“”””f½n ^t*m fqt¶m k`nt¨m. hf]fp*v.”
AkÄ dmPn Wn¶v hnPs^äv– bm¡äv FXp¯p. tZknhn³s_ ssN bâvhvsâ fp³bnt`¡v tbmNp¶Sv AkÄ N*p. Ak³ ht¦mIw H¶pw NqXmsS Ssâ k`pSm]n k¶ fpj]n AfÀ¯n. hqh³ bm¡äv Sp_¶p tPmÄZv– cvss`Nnsâ NnwPv– sshhv hnPs^äv– FXp¯p. tZknhv N®nf¡msS ASv tWm¡n Wn¶p. Fs´m^p shuµ^yfm\v Ssâ A½]m] Cu hv{So]v¡v F¶v Ak³ AÛpSt¯msX HmÀ¯p. sk_psS Aà Ssâ {cn*vhv A½ N{SoW ssNcnsâ SWn bNÀ¸m\v F¶v Aen{bm]s¸«Sv. N{SoW ssNcpfm]pÅ kySymhw fp`NapsX]pw I´nNapsX]pw k`n¸¯nsâ Nm^y¯n fm{Sfm\v. Wo* Nm´ làn]pÅ N®pNÄ. Wo*p ewPn]pÅ fq¡v. H^n¡Â N*m B^psX]pw D_¡w sNXp¯p¶, NmjvI¡m^n Nmfw KWn¸n¡p¶, M^¼pNan So Wn_]v¡p¶ AV^§Ä. f½n `nbvÌnNv H¶pw CXm_nÃ. Unkhkpw Wm`v bm¡äv hnPs^äv– k`n¡p¶ f½n]psX Ip*pNÄ C{S frUpkm]pw Ipk¶pw C^n¡p¶Sv AksW AÛpSs¸Xp¯n. Wà fnWphfpÅ tSmÄemPkpw Njp¯pw. fm_n Wn¶v H^p Im¬ F¦n`pw fp³tbm«p D´n Sp_n¨p Wn¡p¶ SXn¨p k`n] D^p* fp`NÄ. A`vbw tbm`pw UpÀtfUÊnÃm¯ Wà tg¸v H¯ B`n` k]À. kn^nªp SXn¨ D^p* k`n] I´nNÄ. SXn¨p sNmjp¯ Wà ewPn]pw tg¸pw DÅ SpXNÄ. bqÀ® shuµ^y¯nsâ AkhmW emPw tbms` ewPn]pÅ bmU§Ä.
“”””f½n hnPs^äv– k`n¡p¶Sv Nm\m³ tfmWv A{S Cãfmt\m?”
hnPs^äv– kn^`nt`s¡Xp¯v N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”””bn¶ntÃ,”
Ak³ b_ªp,
“”””F§Wm b_t]*Sv F¶v FWn¡_n]nÃm.A{S¡nãfm\v”
kaÀ¶p k^p¶ A^s¡«ns` fpj]n St`mXn Ak³ b_ªp.
“”””f½n¡pw Cãfm H¯n^n. tfmsW tbms` H^p hnWnf WXsâ shuµ^yfpÅ sI_p¸¡m^sâ NqsX C^p¶p hnPs^äv– k`n¡m³.”
Ak³ In^n¨p. AkÄ Wo*p skap¯ hnPs^äv– Ssâ ewPn]pÅ Ip*pNÄ¡nX]n sk¨p. AkapsX ASnklyfm] Ip*pNÄ¡nX]n skap¯p Wo* hnPs^äv– Sq§n NnX¶p.
“”””kÃm¯ IqXv Asà tfmsW?’
hnPs^äv– Ip*n Wns¶Xp¡msS hqh³ b_ªp.
“”””AsS f½n, f½n AknXp¶v hm^n Sp¼v Smjv¯n]nXv”
AkapsX D]À¶ fm_nX¯nt`¡v tWm¡n Ak³ b_ªp,
“”””AknXw Sp_¶n^n¡p¶Sv Mm³ Nm\p¶Sn f½n¡p Npj¸fpt*m?”
“”””Wo tbmXm,”
fm_n Wn¶v hm^n fmäns¡m*v hqh³ b_ªp,
“”””F³s_ tUi¯v Wo Nm\m¯Sm]n«p Fs´¦n`pw Dt*m? Fs¶ bqÀ\ WPvW]m]n«p Wo ^*pfq¶p {bmklyw N*StÃ? bns¶ W½Ä Wà {c*vhnsW]m\v CWn fpS F¶pw So^pfmWn¨n«ntÃ? bns¶´m Npj¸w. fm{Sfà C¶s` Mm³ {dm]pw Fsâ SpX]psX bNpSn ks^ F¯p¶ H^p tSmÀ¯pw fm{Sw C«p tfmsâ fp³bn C^p¶p hnPs^äv– k`nIntÃ? Mm³ At¸mÄ bmâohv tbm`pw C«n^p¶nÃ.”
AkÄ hm^n fm_nX¯n Wn¶pw fmän. kas^t]s_ sk«n]n_¡n] s»uhv B]n^p¶p. ASpsNm*v AkapsX SXn¨p sNmjp¯ k`n] Nqä³ fp`NÄ bNpSn]pw bp_t¯¡p Sp_n¨p Wn¶p.
“”””Hm, Ct¸mÄ Fs´m^mlzmhw!”
Ssâ fp`Nans`¡n tWm¡n AkÄ b_ªp.
“”””hnPs^äv– N¯n¡v f½n”
Ak³ b_ªp. AkÄ Sos¸«n D^¨p hnP^änWp So sNmap¯n. bpN fq¡n`qsX]pw km]n`qsX]pw DuSn b_¯n.
“”””C¶v {dm C«n«p*tÃm,”
Ak³ b_ªp,
“”””Cu IqXn F´nWm f½n {dm Ct«?”
“”””Mm³ hmVm^\ {dm]pw bmânhpw H¶pfnXm_nÃ. fp`]pw Nm`nsâ CX]n`psfms¡ Hs¡ Nmäp N]än {co B]n CXmWm Cãw.”
“”””bmkmX]psX AXn]n bmânhv C«n«pt*m?”
sNmjp¯p^p* fp`Nant`¡pw Ipk¶p ewPn]pÅ Ip*pNÄ¡nX]n`qsX bp_t¯s¡mjpNp¶ hnPs^äv– bpN]ns`¡pw tWm¡nsNm*v Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”””D*v”
AkÄ b_ªp,
“”””bmânhv C«n«p*v.”
“”””GSp bmânhv B\v f½o? {dm Ipk¶v- Wn_fpÅSm\v. ASv Nm\mw.”
“”””{dm]v¡v fm¨p sI¿p¶ bmân]m tfmtW”
hnP^änsâ Im^w fp`]psX tf ko\Sv– SpX¨p Naªp AkÄ b_ªp.
“”””Ipk¶ bmânt]m?””
Ak³ hwl]t¯msX N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv tImUn¨p,
“”””ASv Mm³ N*n«nÃtÃm?”
“”””D*v tfmsW,”
hqh³ b_ªp.
“””” Mm³ Nm\n¨p S^mw.”
hnPs^äv– Ip*Sv sk¨v bpNkn«psNm*v AkÄ hm^n]p]À¯n. hm^n hmkVmWw fpNant`¡vD]^tk AkapsX Nm`pNapsX lzmhw Wn`¸n¡p¶ klyS]pw tIm^¡p So bnXn¸n¡p¶ SpXNapsX fmUNewPn]pw Ak³ N*p. fpWvbv N*n«pÅSm\v. bs£ At¸mÄ AsSm^p kÃm¯ NmjvI B]n^p¶p. AkhmWw hm^n A_]psX fpNÄ ks^ D]À¯n AkÄ SpXNÄ tI^p¶]nXw, Ipk¶, hpSm^yfm] bmânhv AkWp Nm\n¨p sNmXp¯p. AkapsX t]mWn CSapNÄ Nãn¨v f_]v¡msW ASnWp NjnªpÅp. hpSm^yfm]SnWm AkapsX SpXn¨, D]À¶,Wo* t]mWn CSapNÄ bp_¯p Nm\mfm]n^p¶p.
“”””Cs¸m tfmWv knlzmhw]ntÃ?”
Ip*pNÄ¡nXm]n`n^p¶ hnPs^äv– k`nIqSn kn«psNm*v ^*p ssN sNm*pw hm^n D]À¯nbnXn¨v AkÄ tImUn¨p.
Xm¡ohnt`¡pÅ ]m{S¡nX]n hqhWpw tZknhpw km tSm^msS hwhm^n¨p. Aksâ ssd¡n³s_ bn³bn Nk¨n^p¶p, Aksâ A^s¡«n ssN IpänbnXn¨p AkÄ C^p¶p.
“”””Ct¸mÄ F´v ht´mgfsWt¶m”
Aksâ tSman fpOfp^hn AkÄ b_ªp.,
“”””Wnsâ NqsX kÀ¯fmWw b_]p¶Spw ]m{S sI¿p¶Spw tks_ H^p hpO¯nsâ A{S]pw k^n` tfmsW”
“”””ASnsW´m f½n Mm³ CWn F¶pw f½osX Gäkpw AXp¯ {c*v AsÃ?”
“”””Sm¦v ]q tfmWp”
AkÄ AksW AfÀ¯n¸nXn¨p, Ak³s_ Nknan Ssâ NknÄ D^hn.
XmNohnsâ b^nh^w AVnNfnsæn`pw BapNsa sNm*v Wn_ªn^p¶p. fp³–NqÀ Xn¡äv– dp¡v sI]vSSnWm Sn^¡v Nqt«*SnÃm]n^p¶p.
“”””FXm tZknth,”
ASytklw Wn_ª H^p knan tN«p AkÀ tWm¡n. fp³bn tZknhn³s_ hf{bm]¡m^mWm] H^p sI_p¸¡m^³. Ak³ HmXn k¶p Aksâ ssN bnXn¨p.
“”””Biv, hpWnt`, Ft´m Ds*Xm kntlg§Ä?”
AksW Sn^n¨_nªpv tZknhv tImUn¨p. ASnWp D¯^w b_]p¶¯nWp fp¼v Ak³ hqhsâ fpOt¯¡pw, tUifmhN`kpw tWm¡n.
“”””FXm, Wo b\ns]m¸nItÃm. GSmX Cu hpµ^n¨vI^¡v? CSptbms` H^p eqt`mN hpµ^ns] WnW¡v FknXp¶p Nn«ns]Xm? Wà shm]¼³ I^s¡¶p b_ªm CSm. WnW¡v kat¡* Bklyw CÃtÃm. Wo ESnNv t_mgsW tbms` Asà C^n¡ps¶.”
hqh³ hpWn`nsW bp©n^nt]msX tWm¡n.
“”sb§sa Mm³ b_]p¶Sv tN«v H¶pw tSm¶^pSv tNt«m.””
Ak³ hqhtWmXv b_ªp. Ak³s_ N®pNÄ AkapsX fp`Nan S^ªn^n¡p¶Sv AkÀ ^*ptb^pw N*p.
“”M§av A{S t¢mhm. M§av S½n F´pw b_]pw,””
“”ASnWp Npj¸fnÃ. Nq«pNm^mkpt¼m A§sW N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Hs¡ AtÃ?””
hqh³ bp©n^n¨p sNm*p b_ªp.
“”FXm tZknth, Wo]o I^¡n³s_ fpjp¯ sfm` Nm*n«mt\mXm kat¨?””
hpWn sbs«¶v- tImUn¨p. tZknhv A¸w H¶v- bS_ns]¦n`pw sbs«¶v- bp©n^n¨p.
hqh³ bs£ {bsS]nNn¨p emkteUw H¶pw NqXmsS Ak³s_ km¡pNÄ tN«n^p¶p.
“”F³s_ sb§ta N*n«v hin¡p¶nÃ, ASv sNm*mt\. H¶pw tSm¶^pSv,””
ASv b_ªv Ipäpw H¶v- tWm¡n]n«v Ak³ hm^n¡v bp_¯pNqXn AkapsX C^p fp`Napw bnXn¨n sM^n¨p Nl¡n.
NqXpS b_]p¶SnWv fp¼v Aksâ sfmssd lÐn¨p.
“”””H^p fnWntä”
F¶v b_ªp N®n_p¡n Nm\n¨p Ak³ tbm]n.
“”””Fsâ tfmsW FWn¡nWn f^n¨m fSn”
BËmUt¯msX AkÄ b_ªp.
“”””F´m f½n? Ak³ f½osX sfm`¡v bnXn¨p l^n¡pw sM¡n hpOn¸n¨Sv sNm*mt\m?””
“”””tbmXm, ASpsNms*m¶pfÃ. Ak³ sfm` bnXn¨p sM¡o¸w WÃ hpOw Hs¡ H*m^p¶p. F¶m`pw ASÃ,”
“”””bns¶ F¶Sm?”

“”””tfmsWt¸ms` H^p hpµ^¡p«¸sâ tPÄ {c*v B]m\v hpWn Fs¶ N*Sv. CknsX C¸w HÅ BapNÄ Fs¶ Nm\p¶Spw A§sW B^n¡pw. CSn¸^w emPyw tks_ tkt\m?”
“”””Mm³ b_ªntÃ, f½n F{S hpµ^n B\v F¶v? Cs¸m knlzmhfmt]m?”
“”””tfmsW Ak³ knan¨sS´m? ESnNv t_mg³. tfmWpw Cs¸m knlzmhfmt]m?”
Ak³ In^n¨p.
Xn¡äv FXp¯p AN¯p N]_n. AVnNw BapNÄ CÃ.
“”””km tfmsW Wfp¡v AknsX C^n¡mw”
fVyemPw Iq*n Nm\n¨v hqh³ b_ªp. AkÄ tZknhnWpw tks_m^p sI_p¸¡m^³s_]pw CX]n C^p¶p.
“”””A¸_¯v C^n¡p¶k³ WÃ IpÅWm\tÃm,”
Ak³ AkapsX sIkn]n b_ªp.
“”””F¶m IpÅWm]m`pw tfm³s_ At{Sw k^¯nÃ,”
Akapw Sn^n¨v Ak³s_ sIkn]n b_ªp.
sI_p¸¡m^³ Aksa tWm¡n. Akapw Sn^n¨p tWm¡n. BÂbw Njnªp Ak³ ko*pw tWm¡n. Akapw. Ak³ bp©n^n¨p. Akapw Sn^n¨p bp©n^n¨p. A]mÄ AkapsX AXpt¯¡v– tIÀ¶n^p¶p.
“”””F´m tb^v?”
A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”””hqh³”
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”””F´m tb^v?”
“”””tfmi³”
At¸mÄ Sot]ä_ns` ss`äv A\ªp. Gäkpw bn_Nn`pÅ t_m B]SpsNm*v Wà C^p«m]n.Nth^]psX ssN]n sk¨ AkapsX ssN]n A]mapsX ssN fp«n]Sv– AkÄ A_nªp. AkÄ ssN AW¡n]nÃ.
“”””sNmXp¡ptkm?”
A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”””Dw”
hqh³ b_ªp.
“”””F{S]m t_äv?”
“”””A¿m]n^w”
AÂb Wnfng§Ä A]mÄ H¶pw fn*n]nÃ. bns¶ hqhsâ ssNkn^`n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv NX`mhv hvbÀlw A_nªp.
“”””SnN¨pfp*v.’
A]mapsX lÐw AkÄ tN«p. AkÄ B b\w tZknhnWv sNmXp¯p.
“”””tfmsW H^map*v. Np_¨p ssXw f½n¡p fm_n Wnt¡*n k^pw.”
“”””sWm t{bm»w,”
Ak³ In^n¨p.
“”””FWn¡v tSm¶n. A{¸¯v C^n¡p¶ B Ipų Ss¶]tÃ? Bt\m?”
“”””AsS tfmsW”
“”””Dw, sNmÅmw, SNÀ¡v. CsS{S]p*v?”
“”””A¿m]n^w”
“”””l^n¡v hf]sfXp¯v W¶m]n«v hpOn¸n¨p sNmXp¡v f½n” Ak³ AkapsX sIkn]n f{´n¨p. F¶n«v hm^n¡v fpNan`qsX AkapsX SpX]n bnXn¨fÀ¯n.
“”””Ft§m«m tbmNt*?”
AkÄ b\w S¶ sI_p¸¡m^tWmXv tImUn¨p.
“”””A¸w Njn]s«,”
A]mÄ b_ªp.
“”””Mm³ Cu Sot]ä_n³s_ Hm\_m. Smsj _qw D*v. A¸ hf]w Wo Fs¶ H¶v kÀ¯mWw b_ªp hpOn¸n¡v.”
“”””sS_n b_]t\m?”
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”””Mm³ tImUn¡mw. Wo D¯^w S¶m fSn.”
AkapsX s»uhnWv fpNan`qsX fp`]n St`mXns¡m*v A]mÄ b_ªp.
“”””l^n”
A]mapsX bm³hn³s_ fp¼ns` N«n]m]n k^p¶ fpj]n St`mXm³ SpX§ns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”””sS_n b_]p¶Sv Cãfmt\m?’
“”””H¯n^n Cãfm”
“”””Fs´ms¡ sS_n]m Wo hmVm^\ b_]m_v”
“”””ssf^v, bq_p, Np®..”
“”””F{Smw k]Ên`m Wn³s_ bq_n³s_ ho`v sbm«ns]?”
“”””bSn¶m`mw k]Ên F³s_ bq_n³s_ ho`v sbm«n”
“”””Wn³s_ A½ kjs¡m¶pw b_ªntÃ?”
s»uhnWpÅn`qsX ssN]n«p fp` l^n¡v Nl¡n A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”””CÔ
“”””AsS¶? Wn³s_ A½]pw skXn B]n^pt¶m?”
“”””Fs¶t¸ms` skXn AÃ. F¶m`pw b`À¡pw sNmXp¡pw.”
“”””Wn§Ä A½s]]pw tfmsa]pw H^pfn¨p Du¡n]n«pt*m Bs^¦n`pw?”
“”””bn¶ntÃ, b` {bmklyw”
“”””b^hvb^w At§m«pfnt§m«pw tWm¡pt¼mÄ Wm\w k^ntÃ?”
“”””F´nWp? Nmlv Nn«p¶ b\n]tÃ? Wm\nt¡* Bklysfm¶pfnÃ.”
“”””B^psX bq_m k`pSv? Wn³s_t]m Wn³s_ At½sXt]m”
“”””^*p tb^psXw bq_p GNtUlw H^ptbm`m”
“”””Wn³s_ bq_n CSpks^ N]_n] Np®Nan Gäkpw k`pSn³s_ Woaw HmÀ½]pt*m?”
“”””Dw, Gäkpw k`n] Np®]v¡v H³bSv C©v Woaw D*m]n^p¶p.
“”””H³bSv Ct©m? ssUktf? tWt^m? Wn³s_ bq_p No_nt¸m]nsÃXo? kà Wot{Pm]psX Np®]m]n^pt¶m?”
“”””AÃ tN^a Np® B]n^p¶p.”
ASnWnX]n AkÄ A]mapsX `nwPsfXp¯p S³s_ ssN¿ns`Xp¯p Smtj¡pw fpNant`¡pw I`n¸n¡m³ SpX§n]n^p¶p. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv A]mÄ AkapsX fp`NÄ bnXn¨pX¨p sNm*n^p¶p.
“”l^n¡v bnXn¡mtkmXo? HXªp tbmNptkm?””
A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”CÃ, l^n¡v AfÀ¯n HXt¨m, ASm FWn¡pw Cãw.”” AkÄ b_ªp.
“”WÃ H_¨ sfm`Nam\tÃm, sNmt_t¸^p bnXn¡p¶StÃ?””
W¶m]n Nl¡ns¡m*v A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”H^p Atf^n¡³ {Nosfm*v. Nan Njnªv ASv tfmt“pw bqän`pw tS¡pw. sfm` bnt¶w Sp_n¨p N«n]m]n«n^n¡pw. bq_p `qhmNmsS]n^n¡pw.””
“”AsS´m?””
A]mÄ hm^nsbm¡ns¡m*v tImUn¨p.
“”AsS´mt¶m? F³s_ hmt_ Cu coÂZn CWow sNmt_ kÀgw NÀ¯mkv B]pÊv S^pkmt\ sSmXt^*Sm. bqs_ms¡ sNm¨psb¼ntÅ^psX tbms` Wà ssXäv B]n^p¶ms` B\p§Ä¡v hpOn¡s¯mÅq.””
“”F\oäv kmXo””
A]mÄ AkapsX ssN¿n bnXn¨p.
“”C¸w Hmcohn B^pfnÃ. H^p A^f\n¡qÀ D*v,”
AkÄ Fjpt¶äp.
“”tfmsW, H^p A^f\n¡qÀ f½n H¶v Smsjt¸mNpkm. tkPw k^mw tNt«m.””
AkÄ tZknhntWmXv b_ªp.
“”sdÌv knghv””
Ak³ b_ªp.

b_ªSv tbms` hqh³ A^f\n¡qÀ Njnªpk¶p.
“”f½n Smfhnt¨m tfmsW?””
“”CÃ, bs£ H^pbmXv Smfhn¨tbms` tSm¶n”
Ak³ b_ªp.
“”l^n¡pw?””
Ak³s_ Nknan D½ sk¨v AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”B, H^p Nm^yw f_¶p. C¶m, A]mÄ H^p A¿m]n^w NqXn S¶p””
“”At¸mÄ A]msa l^n¡§p hpOn¸n¨p AtÃ?””
Aksa tSman bnXn¨p St¶mXXp¸n¨psNm*v tZknhv tImUn¨p. hqh³ Np`p§n In^n¨p.
“”Mm³ D½ S¶n«v tfm³ Sn^n¨p S¶nÃtÃm””
“”H^mav Cs¸m l^n¡v D½ sk¨p hpOn¸n¨SsÃ]pÅq””
“”ASv A]mÄsX D½]tÃ?””
tZknhv AkapsX tWs^ fpOw Sn^n¨p. hqhWpw Sn^n¨p. tZknhv S³s_ Ip*pNÄ AkapsX tWs^ AXp¸n¨p. bns¶ Ak³s_ Ipk¶ Ip*pNÄ AkapsX AV^§an AfÀ¶p.
hqh³ knhvf]n¨ptbm]n. Fs´m^p AWpekw! Fs´m^p fVp^w! CSptbms` H^Wpekw fp¼p*m]n«pt*m?
“”F³s_ sbm¶ptfmtW,””
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”F´v I¡^ D½]mXm. Hm, WÃ fVp^w.””
“”f½osX Ipk¶p f`À¶ Ip*pNÄ N*m BÀ¡m f½o D½ sk¡m³ tSm¶ms¯?””
“”tfmWv f½osX Ip*¯p D½ sk¡m³ fp¼v tSm¶n]n«pt*m?””
“”bn¶ntÃ? F{St]m kÀg§Ä¡pfp¼v””
hm^n¡pbp_¯pNqXn AkapsX SpX]n AfÀ¯ns¡m*v Ak³ b_ªp.
“”bns¶ CSv ks^ D½ sk¡mSn^ps¶?””
“”ASv…f½n F³s_ f½n]tÃ? f½n]psX Ip*¯p D½ sk¨m f½n]v¡v CãfmNptfm F¶_n]nÃm]n^p¶p,””
“”F³s_ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv sbm¶ptfmsW,””
AkÄ Sn^nªv Ak³s_ AV^w b`Sk\ AfÀ¯n Ipwdn¨p.
“”Wo F³s_ tfmWm]SpsNm*pSs¶ Fs¶ tfmWnãfpÅt¸mÄ D½sk¡mw. A§sWs]m^p {coZw tbm`pfnsæn W½Ä sdÌv {c*ms¶ms¡ b_]p¶Sv–sNm*p F´m AÀTw?””
“”ss`h³hv Nn«n¡jnªm F³s_ Ip*v f½osX Ip*¯q¶p fm_nà tNt«m””
AkapsX SpX]n Af^v¯ns¡m*v Ak³ b_ªp.
“”fmä*m, AknsX¯s¶ skt¨m.””
AkÄ In^n¨p. AkWpw. Ak³ Ip*pNÄ ko*pw AkapsX AV^¯n`f^v¯n. C¯k\ Ak³ AkapsX Ip*v NXn¨pk`n¨p. A¸hf]w. AtSmsXm¸w Ak³s_ ssN AkapsX SpX]n NqXpS AfÀ¶p. Ipwdn¨p Njnªv Ak³ bSns] In^n¨p.
“”F´m tfmsW?””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”H¶pfnÃ, f½n,””
Ak³ b_ªp.
“”AÃ Ft´m D*v, b_ tfmsW””
“”AsS f½n f½nsX km]n A]mapsX hmVW¯o¶p tbm] bm`n³s_ ^pIn””
“”At¿m, F³s_ ssUktf, Nãw. thm_n tfmsW, ¹ohv. Nãw… Mm³ l^n¡v km NjpNn]nÃ, tfm³s_]Xps¯¡v sbs«¶v k^m³tk*n km NjpNoÃ. tfmWnknsX]n^n Mm³ km NjpNo«p k^mw.””
“”f½n FknsX]pw tbmN*,”
Ak³ b_ªp.
“”f½osX ASnftWmi^fm] Ip*¯p A]mÄsX bm D*v F¶tà Mm³ b_sª? ASv Cãfà FWns¡¶v Mm³ b_ªnÃtÃm?’
“”F¶v k¨mÂ?””
“”F¶psk¨m CSv?””
Ak³ Aksa Btklt¯msX ko*pw AfÀ¯n AfÀ¯n Ipwdn¨p. Wmkv NqXpS hf]w AkapsX km]n sk¨p. Nps_¡qXpS DfnWoÀ C¯k\ Ak³ NpXn¨p.
‘F³s_ f½o, Fs´m^p fVp^fm f½osX Ip*pNÄ¡v? CWn]n¸w Ipk¶p SpXp¯ Cu SXn¨ AV^¯n H^p tW^sf¦n`pw Ipwdn¨nsæn FWn¡v D_¡w k^psf¶v tSm¶p¶nÃ.””
“”F´nWm H^p tW^fm¡ps¶? Mm³ N*n«pÅ F³s_ KoknS¯ns` Gäkpw hpµ^Wm] bp^pg³ F³s_ tfm³ B\v. GSp sb®ntW]pw {em´p bnXn¸n¡p¶ shuµ^yfm\v F³s_ tfmWv. F³s_ A_nkn BÀ¯kw Njnª FÃm sb®p§apw CknsX tfmsW ¡p_n¨v fm{Sfm\v hwhm^w A§nsW]pÅ tfm³ Fs¶ IpwdnNp¶Sv H^p {bmklyfm¡*. C^pb¯nWm`v f\n¡q_pw Ipwdnt¨maq.””
“”C^p b¯nWm`v f\n¡q_pw Ipwdn¡\w F¶p*v bs£, ASnhpµ^n]m], fUm`h]m] F³s_ f½n]psX fmUN shuµ^yw WpN^m³ k^p¶, F³s_ hpµ^n f½ns] AWpekn¡m³ k^p¶ NmfpN³fmÀ h½Sn¡nÔ”
AkÄ Np`p§nIn^n¨p. AkWpw. tZknhv ssN AkapsX SpX]n Wn¶pw FXp¯t¸mÄ AkÄ ko*pw Ak³s_ ssN ]TmØmW¯v sk¨p.
“”SpX AfÀ¯nt¡m. Wà hpOfp*v.””
Ak^psX {l² ko*pw hnWnf]nt`¡v tbm]n.
“”kÃmsS IqsXXp¡p¶p,””
fm_n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wn¶v hm^n fmäns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”F¶m SptX¶pw hm^nfmän sbm¡n tk¡v f½n. Cu t_m]n C¸w B^pfnÃtÃm. B^pw Nm\nÃ.””
“”””Hm, N*m`pw Npj¸fnà ,””
SpXNan Wn¶v hm^nfmän hm^n A^ ks^ sbm¡n sk¨psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”f½osX bmâohv FknsX?””
“”bmân fm{Sfà {dm]pw CÃ,”
AkÄ fp`NNant`¡v N®p Nm\n¨psNm*v b_ªp.
“”bSnWm]n^w ^qb S¶k³ Ft¶mXv tImUn¨p, bm³äo {dm Hs¡ Mm³ FXpt¯ms« F¶v””
AkÀ C^pk^pw In^n¨p.tZknhn³s_ ssN AkapsX WPvWfm] SpX]n A^n¨p WX¶p.
“”WÃ hpOw tfmsW, WÃ Sn^p½pNmt^ms¡ SXkp¶ tbm`pÅ hpOw.””
“”CSptbms` SpX Nn«n]m B^pw H¶v SXkn hpOn¸n¡pw.. F´v ewPn]m f½n, f½osX SpXNÄ¡v. Wà Wo*v, SXn¨v, hn¡v hvfntSsX SpXNÄ tbms`.””
“”tW^v?””
“”tW^v f½n,””
Ak³ ko*pw Aksa Ipwdn¨p. ASnWp Nm¯vSn^p¶ns«¶tbms` Akapw Btklt¯msX AksW Ipwdn¨p. Ak³s_ ssN AkapsX ANw SpX]nt`¡v A^n¨p N]_n. Ak³ AkansX SpXNÄ AfÀ¯n]fÀ¯n Nl¡n.
hnWnf N*psNm*n^ns¡ hqh³ SpX]nXp¡nt`¡v ssN sNm*ptbm]n AknsX sIm^n]p¶Sv tZknhv N*p.
“”ssf^v””
AkÄ tUgy¯n b_ªp.
“”F´m f½n?””
“”sIm_n]p¶p CknsX””
AkÄ SpX]nXp¡nt`¡v N®pNÄ Nm\n¨psNm*v b_ªp.
“”””Hm, ASmt\m?”
Ak³ In^n¨p.
“”””F´m tfmtW In^nt¨?”
“”””AÃ, f½ns] hvtWin¨]mÄ hvtWiw H¯n^nfq¯t¸mÄ IqXpÅ H^p F® AknsX tNm^ns]mjn¨nsÃ. ASv AknsX bän¸nXn¨pNnX¡pN]tÃ? ASm sIm_n]ps¶. l^n¡v sIm_ntªm .””
“”AsS]sS,””
Akapw In^n¨p,
“”bns¶ tfmtW, MmWn¸w ssf^v F¶v sS_n b_ªSv tfm³ tNt«m? sÈy, tfm³s_ tNÄs¡ b_]^pSm]n^p¶p. sSmX]psX CXp¡ns` sIm_n¨n kÃmSm]t¸mÄ A_n]msS b_ªSm.””
“”F³s_ f½n,””
Ak³ b_ªp. Ak³s_ ssN SpX]nXp¡n sIm_n]p¶ AkapsX ssN]n hvbÀln¨p.
“”f½n doZn k`n¡v¶Sv Nm\m³ FWn¡nãw F´v sNm*ms\¶_n]mtfm? f½n ASnhpµ^n]m\v. Wà skap¯p Ipk¶v, {bm]w sNm*v kas^ sI_p¸fm]n, Wà ewPn]pÅ Ip*pw Bs^]pw sNmSn¸n¡p¶ N®pNapw bns¶ ASpw…”” Ak³ AkapsX D]À¶p Sp_n¨ k`n] fm_nX¯nt`¡v tWm¡n. AkÄ `Ön¨p.
“”W½Ä Wà {c*vhv AtÃ, ASv CSv Fs¶m¶pw b_t]*, sfm` F¶v Ss¶ b_tªm, A§sW tNÄ¡mW FWn¡nãw””
“” l^n,’
Ak³ In^n¨p.
“”WÃ Cw¥ogv »p cn`nfns` WXnfm^psX In`t¸mÄ ASnsW¡mapw N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv k`n¸fpÅ Wà sfm`]pÅ f½n]psX Ipk¶p hpµ^fm] Ip*n doZn]n^n¡p¶Sv Nm\m³ Wà ^hfm. ASptbms` Ss¶]m f½n sS_n b_]pt¼mjpw.””
AkÄ AksW `Öt]msX tWm¡nsNm*v SpX]nXp¡v sIm_nªp.
“”At¸mtj¡pw f½n¡p Wm\w kt¶m?””
AkapsX SpX]n l^n¡pw St`mXns¡m*v Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”””tfmtW, tfm³ b_]p¶Sv tW^mt\m?”
“”””F´m f½o?”
“”F³s_ sfm`]v¡v l^n¡pw »p cn`nfnt` fUm½fm^psX At{Sw fpjp¸v Dt*m ?””
“”bn¶ntÃ,””
AkapsX fm_nX¯nt`¡v l^n¡pw tWm¡nsNm*v Ak³ b_ªp.
“”””””l^n¡v tWm¡n]n«v b_””
AkWp Nm\m³ tk*n AkÄ hm^n¯p¼v fm_n Wn¶pw fmän. Njp¯n_¡n sk«n] s»uhnWpÅn AkapsX sNmjp¯p^p* k`n] fp`NÄ bp_t¯¡v SÅnWn¶p.
“” f½o, BMvK`oW Nmhvt{Xm F¶ H^p WXn]p*v. Wà k`n¸w fm{Sfà AkapsX sfm`]v¡v. W¶m]n D^p*v sNmjp¯m\v. bs£ f½osX Cu k`n] D^p*p fpjp¯ sfm`]psX fp¼n ASv H¶pfÃ.””
AkapsX sIm_n¨n`n³s_ tkPw NqXp¶Sv Ak³ A_nªp . t]mWn¡pÅnt` {hmk¯n kn^`pNÄ AfÀ¶p Wà lÐkpw tNÄ¡pkm³ SpX§n.
“”Mm³ C§sW hm^n tfmt`¶v fmän sfm` Nm\n¨psNm*n^p¶m tfmWv sNmj¸w Dt*m?””
“”CÃ f½o, FWn¡nãfm BapNÄ f½osX fpjp¯ tfmt`Â tWm¡n skÅfn_¡p¶Sv Nm\m³.””
“”NXn fm_p¶nÃtÃm, tfmtW””
“”hz´w sIm_nªm F§nsW]m f½o NXn fm_ps¶?””
“”tks_ Bs^]m H¶v knan¡ps¶ H¶v sIm_nªp S^m³?’
Ct¸mÄ AkapsX A^]v¡v Smsj bqÀ® WPvWfm\v–.
“”Mm³ f½osX tfmWm]Sv–sNm*v tImUn¡mtfm F¶_n]nÃ, F¶m`pw tImUn¡pkm, Mm³ sIm_nªp S^s«?””
“”CSv tImUn¡m³ C{S hf]sfXp¯sS´nWm?””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”Wo F³s_ sdÌv {c*sÃ? Wo sIm_nªpS^p¶Sn¸^w hpOw tks_ F´nWm. bs£ tfmtW, F³s_ t]mWn Wn_s] WWªp NpSnÀ¶n^n¡pN]m\v. tfm³s_ N¿n bäntÃ?””
“”H¶v sbm f½o, “”
Ak³ sbs«¶v ssNkn^`pNÄ AkapsX t]mWn]n`n«p. WWªv Npjªp C^n¡]m]n^p¶p, AknXw fpjpk³. Ak³s_ kn^`pNÄ AkapsX N´nsW hvbÀln¨p. Iq*v kn^`pw sb^pkn^`pw Nq«n Ak³ N´v sW¡n¸nXn¨p sIm_nªp.
“”F§sW]p*v f½o, NXn]v¡p Np_kpt*m?’
Ak³ AkapsX t]mWn]psX CSapNapw bp_kpw sM^Xn sIm_nªpsNm*v tImUn¨p.
“”Hm, C¸j tfmtW H^p BlzmhfmNp¶Sv””
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”tfmtW, Mm³ Nk l^n¡pw AN¯n sbman¨p sk¡s«? tfmWv W¶m]n sIm_n]m³?’
“”l^n¡v Nk sbman¨p skt¨m f½o. Mm³ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv W¶m]n sIm_nªp S^mw.’
“”F³s_ tbm¶p tfmtW””
Ak³s_ ssN AkapsX SXn¨p koÀ¯ t]mWn¯X¯n`pw N´n`pw AfÀ¶p^]pwtbmÄ AkÄ AksW Btkgt¯msX AV^w NXnIo¼n Ipwdn¨p. At¸mÄ AkapsX koÀ¯p SXn¨ D^p* k`n] fp`NÄ Ak³s_ sW©n AfÀ¶p.
“”W¶m]n WWªp Npjªn^n¡p¶tÃm f½n””
IpdWw Sm\v Njnªv Ip*pNÄ fmän]t¸mÄ Ak³ b_ªp.
“”H¯n^n Hjn¨v S¶tÃm Ak³.””
sb^pkn^Â N´n`pw ^*p kn^`pNÄ t]mWnUzm^¯n`pw N]än sIm_nªp sNm*v Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”Ak³ Hjn¨v S¶Sv fm{Sfà tfmtW””
SpX]vXp¡v b^fmkVn AN¯n t]mWnUzm^w l^n¡v sbman¨p Sp_¶p sk¨v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”W½Ä hwhm^nt¨m*n^p¶Sv shN-vhv AtÃ. tfmsWt¸ms` H^p hpµ^¡p«³ shN-vhv b_]p¶ tN«m FWn¡v WWªv H`n¡m³ SpX§pw.””
“”Bt\m,””
t]mWn]n`pw N´n`pw tIm^n]p¶SnWnX]n s»uhnWpÅn`qsX bp_t¯¡v SÅn¯p_n¨p Wn¡p¶ fp`]nt`¡v tWm¡n Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”f½n WÃ knNm^fpÅ ssX¸v B\tÃ?””
“”FWn¡v sbs«¶v knNm^w k^pw tfmtW””
fp`Nan Wn¶v Ns®Xp¡msS tWm¡p¶ fNtWmXv AkÄ b_ªp.
“”Wà hpµ^³fms^ N*m At¸mÄ l^o^w IqXv bnXn¡pw. fp`sMs«ms¡ NÃptbms` k`pSm]n S^n¡pw . tfm³ sIm_nªp sNm*n^n¡p¶ bq_ntÃ…At¿m thm_oXm tfmtW, sÈy…ssf^v…Bs* bnt¶w sS_n b_ªp, tfmtW t]mWn ASn skÅw k^pw .””
“”f½n, W½sa´nWm sdÌv {c*vhms]?””
Ak³ l^n¡v sIm_nªp sNm*v tImUn¨p.
“”]msSm^p Hankpw f_]pw NqXmsS hwhm^n¡pkmWpw Wà {c*vhvsW t¸ms` Kokn¡mWpftÃ? fm{Sfà f½n f½osX SXn¨p skap¯ sNmjp¯ sSmtXw Wà fpjp¯p Sp_n¨ k`n] sfmt`w bns¶ SXn¨p IoÀ¯ t]mWow sSm_¶p sk¨tà F³s_ fp¼n C^n¡ps¶? bns¶ f½n]v¡v Ft¶mXv sS_n b_ªpNqsX? fm{Sfà f½n]psX shuµ^yfpÅ H^p I^¡v sb®v ssf^v bqÀ Fs¶ms¡ b_ªp tNÄ¡p¼w FWn¡pw {SnÃXn¡ntÃ? f½n ssV^yfm]n Wà hq¸À sS_n b_tªm. FWn¡nãfm tNÄ¡m³.””
“”tW^mt\m?””
AkÄ AUvepSt¯msX tImUn¨p.
“”MmWmsN NãvXs¸«p Wn¡pkm^p¶p. H^p shsâ³hn b¯p sS_ns]¦n`pw b_ªp sNm*n^p¶ Mm³ Wo tN«m F´v N^pSpw F¶v knIm^n¨p sS_n b_]mSn^n¡pkm^p¶p. M§Ä B\p§apw sb®p§apw NqXpt¼mÄ Wà sshhv sS_n b_]pw. bns¶ F³s_ tKm`n CSm]Sv sNm*v sS_n b_]mSn^n¡m³ bänÃ.””
“”B\p§Ä f½ns] sS_n b_]ptfm?”
AkapsX N´v W¶m]n sM^Xn Sn^p½ns¡m*v Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”bn¶ntÃ,””
I´n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv D]À¯ns¡mXp¯psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”bns¶ tfmtW…FWn¡v…””
“”F´m f½o?””
“”ASv…””
“”F´m]m`pw b_ f½o””
“”bSnsW«p k]ÊpÃk^v tbm`pw Fs¶ Du¡n]n«p*v””
“”Du¡pN F¶v b_ªm ?””
AkapsX SpX¡nX]n l^n¡v skÅw Wn_ªp. Ak³ ssNkn^`n«p sIm_n]pt¼mÄ ¹¡v ¹¡v F¶v D¨¯n lÐw tN«p.
AkÄ Ak³s_ fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n. Ak³s_ N®pNan tWm¡n s¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”tfmtW Du¡pN F¶v b_ªm bq_n Np®]n«v Nan¡pN.””
Ak³s_ kn^`pNÄ AkapsX t]mWn]ns`¡n_§pt¼mÄ AkÄ I´nsbm¡ns¡mXp¯psNm*n^p¶p.
“”Ak³ tbm`pw Fs¶ sS_n]m\v knan¡pN. F´m b_]pN. sS_n tNÄ¡pt¼mÄ H^p hpOfm\v””
“”Aks^§sWt]ms¡]m f½o knan¡pN?””
“”F¶mXo bq_ntfmsa, C¶s` WÃ sNm\]m^pt¶m, WÃ H_¡£o\w H*tÃm” Fs¶ms¡ b_]pw.””
“”At¸mÄ f½n F´v b_]pw?””
“”tbmXm ssft^, F{S sNm\¨m`pw FWns¡m^n¡`pw H^p £o\kpw H*mN¯nà F¶v b_]pw “”
At¸mÄ tZknhv bmâvhvsâ fp³emPw bnXn¨fÀ¯n. hqh³ At§m«p bp©n^nt]msX tWm¡n . At¸mÄ Ak³ AkapsX fpO¯v tWm¡n ko*pw ko*pw fp³emPw sM¡n, AfÀ¯n, SjpNn.
“”tfmWpw sIm_n¨n k^p¶ntÃ?””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”D*v f½o””
“”F¦n hnºv Du^n bp_s¯s¡Xp¯v l^n¡v sIm_n]p””
“”tk* f½o, f½n N*mÂ…””
“”H¶v sbm tfmtW,””
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”FWnt¡äkpw Cãfm B\p§apsX hmVWw Nm\p¶Sv. tfmsWt¸ms`]pÅ hpµ^³s_ hmVWw, ASpw F³s_ hz´w fN³³s_ hmVWw Nm\p¶Sn F´nWm Mm³ Wm\n¡p¶Sv?””
“”ASÃ f½n, tks_ H^p Nm^\w D*v””
“”tks_ F´v Nm^\fm tfmsW?”
kn^`pNÄ AkapsX t]mWn]n N]_n]n_§pt¼mÄ hz]w s»uhnWv bp_¯pNqXn fp`sM«n Ak³s_ Nm¬sN sIm_nªpsNm*v AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”ASv f½n, F³s_ hmVWw koÀ¯p N¼n]m]n C^n¡pkm\v””
“”Bt\m?”
AkÄ AUvepXs¸«p.
“”AsS´m tfmtW?””
fp`]n hz]w fm_n fm_n sM¡ns¡m*v hqh³ tImUn¨p.
“”ASv f½o, bns¶, sÈy F§Wm b_]ps¶ ..AsS, W½Ä shN-vhv Atà b_]ps¶? bns¶ f½n]psX k`n] SXn¨p sNmjp¯ SpXNapw hmVWkpw bns¶ fpjp¯p Sp_n¨ k`n] fp`Napw C§sW Sp_¶n^n¡]tÃ, At¸mÄ B^psX hmVWfm f½o k`pSmNms¯?””
“”Fât½,”
AkÄ ht´mgw sNm*v H¨]n«p.
“”t`mN hpµ^Wm] F³s_ tfmtW N¼n]mNmWpÅ shuµ^ysfms¡ F³s_ sfm`]v¡pw sSmX]v¡pw bq_nWpw Hs¡]pt*m. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv H¯n^n ht´mgw tSm¶p¶p, tfmtW,””
“”f½o, CSptbms`s]ms¡ {co B]n Wfp¡v b_]mftÃm AtÃ, bns¶ tfmlfm]n tbm]n F¶v H^n¡`pw tSm¶^pSv””
“”Wo tbmXm,””
Ak³s_ ssN kn^`pNÄ AkapsX t]mWn]ns` Wnfngw tSm_pw NqXns¡m*n^n¡p¶ fUK`¯n N]_n]n_§ns¡m*n^ns¡ AkÄ b_ªp.
“”WnW¡v Npj¸fnsæn FWns¡´p Npj¸w. Mm³ shN-vhv b_]p¶Sv F³s_ hz´w tfmtWmXm\v. Mm³ {bhkn¨p kaÀ¯n, hpÔ^¡p«¸Wm¡n], F³s_ sfm`¸m NpXn¨p kaÀ¶ F³s_ hp´^¡p«¸tWmXv B\v Mm³ shN-vhv {co B]n b_]ps¶. FWns¡m^n¡`pw tfmlfm]n ASv tSm¶pN]nÃ. fm{Sfà FWns¡m¯n^n Cãfm\v.””
At¸mÄ AkapsX t]mWn]n AfÀ¯n sIm_nªpsNm*v Ak³ AkapsX AV^w km]n`n«p NXn¨p Ipwdn¨p.
“”f½o, Wfp¡v C¶v H^p t`mZvKn fp_ns]Xp¯v CknsX S§n]mt`m?””
Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”F³s_ tfmtW, Mm³ ASt§m«v b_]m³ SpX§pN]m]n^p¶p. Wfp¡n¶p AXn¨p sbman¡mw tfmtW?’
“”l^n¡v AXn¨psbman¡mw f½n, f½n b_ F´m tkt*?””
“”FWn¡n¶v l^ns¡m¶p NpXn]v¡\sf¶p*v””
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”Wn³s_ NqsX CSv ks^]pw NpXn¨n«nÃ,”
AkÄ fp`Nan ko*pw sIm_nªp. ASpN*v Ak³ S³s_ fpj]n ko*pw AkÄ Nm¬sN AfÀ¯n.
“”l^n¡v NpXn¡\w””
Ak³ fpj]n AfÀ¯ns¡m*n^n¡p¶Sv N*v– AkÄ b_ªp. “”kmav sk¡p¶Sv ks^ NpXn¡\w. Zm³hv sI¿\w. “”
“”””f½n Zm³hv sI¿ptfm?””
“”F³s_ tfmWv tk*n]tÃ, Mm³ F´pw sI¿pw. b_ tfmsW´m tkt*?’
“”FWn¡v f½n, gZn]pw {dm]pfn«v doZow hnP^äpw k`n¡p¶Sv Nm\\w.””
AkapsX t]mWn]n kn^`pNan^¡p¶SnWnX]n AkpsX Sp_n¨ fp`Nan tWm¡n A^s¡«ns` fpj]n AfÀ¯ns¡m*v Ak³ b_ªp.
“”F¦n km, tfmtW, Wfp¡v tbmNmw””
AkÄ AksW Fjpt¶Â¸n¨p. AkÄ khv{S§Ä tWs^]n«p. AktWmsXm¸w bp_t¯¡v WX¶p.

“”hnPs^äv C^p¸pt*m f½n?””
Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”Wm`©v bm]v¡äv NqXn km§nt¡m””
AktWmXv tIÀ¶v Ak³s_ tSman fp`Nap^pwfn WX¶psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”^*p fq¶p sN«p doZn]pw tfXnt¨m. C¶v ^m{Sn D_§msS]n^p¶p tfmWv f½n CãvXw tbms` doZn]pw hnPs^äpw k`n¨p Nm\n¨p S^mw””
AkÀ t`mdn]ns`¯n.
“”tfmtW tim«Â t`¡v bm`hv D*v””
ssd¡n N]_tk AkÄ b_ªp,
“”Mm³ sNmt_ {bmklyw k¶ tim«`m. b`^ptXw NqsX. {So ÌmÀ B\v. F hn _qw Ss¶ tk\w tNt«m.””
“”AknsX]mt\Â GtS`pw b\¨m¡v NÌft^w N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Nn«pw AtÃ?””
ssd¡v ÌmÀ«v sI]vSp tZknhv b_ªp.
“”Dw “”
AkÄ Wm\t¯msX fqan.
“”””WÃ shN-vhv b_ªp f½n]v¡v WÃ fqZv– B]n AtÃ? CWn WÃ H^p shm]¼³ N«n¡p®tk\w AtÃ?””
“”Wos]m¶v tbmXm””
Ak³s_ A^s¡«n Ipän¸nXn¨p fp`NÄ Ak³s_ bn¼n l^n¡fÀ¯ns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”{co B]n b_ f½n, f½n Atà b_ªSv Ft¶mXv shN-vhv b_]m³ f½n]v¡v CãvXfms\¶v””
Ak³s_ bp_¯v fp`NÄ Wn^¡n]fÀ¯ns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”””ASv tfmtW, tfm³s_ ssN F³s_ bq_nWN¯v AÃm]n^pt¶m? tfm³ b`Sk\ F³s_ k`n] fp`]nt`¡v Ss¶ tWm¡n]n^p¶p. At¸mÄ FWn¡v l^n¡v Nj¡m³ SpX§n. tW^m, Bs^s]¦n`pw Nn«n]m sNmÅmsf¶p*v.””
ASnWnsX ssd¡v tim«`n³s_]Xps¯¯n.
“”bs£ FWn¡n¶v Wn³s_ NqsX C§sW kÀ¯mWw b_ªn^n¡mWm CãvXw . e]¦^ {SnÃXn¨m Mm³ tfm³s_NqsX hnWnf N*Sv–.””
ssd¡n Wn¶n_§n AkÄ b_ªp.
“”Cu AXp¯ Nm`s¯m¶pw Ss¶ C{S hpOw FWn¡v Nn«n]n«nà tfmtW. b_ªm fWÊn`mknÃ. kÃm¯ H^p hpOw. Mm³ H¯n^n {bm]w Np_ªtbms` H^p co””
Ak³ ssd¡v HSp¡n]n«p.
“”km tfmtW Wfp¡v BUyw doZow hnPs^äpw tfXn¡mw “”
hfob¯p N* KW_Â tÌm_nWp tWs^ tWm¡n AkÄ b_ªp.
“”l^n f½n””
tZknhpw hqhWpw B NX]psX tWs^ WX¶p.
“”f½n Ss¶ km§\w tNt«m””
“”AsS´m tfmtW?””
“”ASv, F³s_ hpµ^n, shN-vhn f½n, f½osX Ipk¶ AV^§Ä sNm*v doZow hnPs^sä¶pw Hs¡¸_]pwtbmÄ H^p {SnÂ. ASpsNm*m “”
“”Hmt¡ “”
AkÄ In^n¨p
ASnhpµ^n]pw fUm`h]pfm] H^p ]pkSn]pw ]pkmkpw Wn¡p¶Sv N*v– NX¡m^³ sbs«¶v k¶p. A]mÄ H^p fVyk]hv¡Wm]n^p¶p.
“”F´m tkt*?”
A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”doZn tk\w tI«m””
AkÄ b_ªp. A]mÄ AUvepSt¯msX Aksa tWm¡n.
“”GSm?’
“”UntWlv doZn]pt*m?’
“”^*p sN«v UntWlv doZn. “”
A]mÄ doZns]Xp¯v AkÄ¡p sNmXp¯p.
“”bns¶´m tkt*?””
A]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”hnPs^äv– tk\w tI«m,””
“”GSm””
“”fmÄtdmt_m hnPs^äv– Dt*m tI«m?””
“”D*v””
“”””fmÄtdmt_m hnPs^äv– ^*p bm¡äv. {Xn¸nÄ ssckv hnPs^äv– Dt*m?””
“”D*v””
“”{Xn¸nÄ ssckpw ^*p bm¡äv””
A]mÄ AkÀ tImUn¨sSÃmw sbmSnªp sNmXp¯p.
“”””Fs¶ A]mÄ¡v l^n¡_n]mw tfmtW””
Ak³s_ N¿n bnXn¨p kn^`pNÄ tNmÀ¯v tUiw l^n¡v tIÀ¯p^p½n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv fp_n]nt`¡v WX¡tk hqh³ b_ªp.
“”fmh¯n H^p Sk\s]¦n`pw b`^pw Fs¶ CknsXs¡m*pk^p¶Sv– A]mÄ N*n«p*mkpw””
tZknhv ssN Ipän AkapsX A^s¡«n AfÀ¯n H^p ssNsNm*v _qw Sp_¶p.
“”f½osX NqsX BUyfm Mm³ tim«Â fp_o””
Ak³ b_ªp.
“”MmWpw ASn³s_ {SnÃn`m tfmtW”
fp_n]nt`¡v N]_n AkÄ b_ªp.
“”f½n¡p BUyfm]n l^n¡v AfÀ¯n sN«n¸nXn¨p Ip*¯p Wà H^p D½ Ss¶””
AN¯p N]_n AkÄ b_ªp.
NSNp AX¡p¶SnWp fp¼v Ak³ Aksa AfÀ¯nsN«n¸nXn¨p. Aksa fmt_mXv tIÀ¯fÀ¯n. A^s¡«pw fm_pw l^n¡v fp«n¨p AkapsX AV^w NXn¨p Ak³ AfÀ¯n Ipwdn¨p. AkapsX BUw km]n`n«v Cu¼n k`n¨v NpXn¨p.
“”F³s_ tfmtW, F³s_ fpt¯, F³s_ I¡t^,””
AkÄ knNm^wsNm*v knan¨p.
“”F³s_ f½o, F³s_ hpµ^n f½o”
AkWpw knan¨p. AkÄ A^s¡«v Ak³s_ A^s¡«ntWmXv tIÀ¯fÀ¯n.
“”Fs´m^p hpOfm Atà tfmtW?””
Ipwdn¨p Njnªv hqh³ tImUn¨p.
“”kÃm¯ bpa]p¶ hpOw. Atà tfmtW?’
“”AsS f½n””
fUykpw hnPs^äpw cpZv bm¡ävDw tfl¸p_¯p sk¨v Ak³ b_ªp.
“”GtSm hzbvW t`mN¯m Mm³. f½ns]¡mÄ {SnÃXn¨n^n¡p¶Sv MmWm. “”
S³s_ A^s¡«ns` fpj]n bnXn¨fÀ¯n Ak³ b_ªp.
“”Bt\m, tfm³ Nan¨n«pÅ sb¼ntÅt^¡mapw {SnÃmt\m?’
“”Mm³ Bs^]pw Nan¨n«nà f½n””
“”tR?””
AkÄ AknlzhWo]St]msX AksW tWm¡n.
“”tW^v?””
AkÄ ASn]m] hiSmbt¯msX tImUn¨p.
“”AsSms¡ b_]mw f½n,””
Ak³ ¥mÊpNan fUyw Hjn¨p.
“”f½n BUyw doZn k`n¡v. AsSm¶p Nm\s«. Wfp¡v N«n`n NnX¶p sNm*v Cu knh-vNn NpXn¨p ^hfpÅsSms¡ hwhm^n¡mw,””
“”H^p doZns]Xp¯v f½osX Ip*¯p sk¨v St¶, tfmtW””
Ak³ knh-vNn ¥mhv AkÄ¡p sNmXp¯p. F¶n«v doZn]psX sbmSn Ajn¨p, Hs¶Xp¯p, AkapsX Ip*pNÄ¡nX]n sk¨p. F¶n«v At§m«p Ss¶ tWm¡n.
“”””F´m tfmtW tWm¡ps¶?”
“”””F³s_ hpµ^n f½osX Ipk¶ Ip*pNÄ¡nX]n doZn]n^n¡p¶Sv Nm\pt¼mÄ H^p {Sn””
“”doZn sk_psS Ip*¯n^p¶m fSnt]m? doZn N¯n¡t*?””
“”N¯n¨m fm{Sw tbm^ f½n,””
“”””bns¶?
“”””f½n¡_n]ntÃ, f½n b_,”
“”b_]mw’
AkÄ fµihn¨p.
“”doZn N¯n¡\. doZn k`n¨v bpN knX\w. doZn k`n¨p bpN km]n`qsX]pw fq¡n`qsX]pw DuSn¸_¯\w. AtÃ?””
“”Dw,””
Ak³ ko*pw A^s¡«ns` fpj bnXn¨fÀ¯n.
“”f½n¡p N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv doZn N¯n¨p Sm tfmtW?””
“”f½n, AXn¸mkmX]pw s»uhpw fm{Sfn«m tbms^? doZn k`n¡pt¼mÄ B tkgw e]¦^ {SnÃm]n^n¡pw””
“”H¯n^n C_¡n sk«n] s»uhm F³s_,””
doZn Ip*¯p sk¨v hm^n Ajn¨psNm*v hqh³ b_ªp.
“”F³s_ fpjp¯ sfm` ^*pw sbm_¯v ImXm³ sSmX§pw. bns¶ AXn¸mkmX F³s_ SXn¨ k`n] tSmsXsX bNpSn fmt{S C¯t¯mÅq. B tkg¯n`v Ip*¯p doZow B]n«v Wn¶m Fs¶ ¸nXn¨p Bs^¦n`pw t_bv sI¿pw.””
“”ASv hm^fnà f½o,””
AkÄ hm^n]jn¨v N«n`ns`¡nXpt¼mÄ Ak³ b_ªp.
“”””f½osX sSmtXw I´ow NqSn]pw sfmt`w bq_pw cpÄ B]n Mm³ N*StÃ. fm{SfÃ. Wm«pNm^v B^pfnà f½osX bq_pw sfmt`w Nm\m¯k^]n«v. Mm³ f½osX tfmWtÃ?””
“”tfmtWt¸ms` H^p hpµ^¡p«¸sâ fp¼n NqSow fpjp¯ sfmt`w bq_pw Nm\n¡m³ GSp sb®m sNmSn¡ms¯? tfmtW Ct¸mÄ Mm³ F§sW]p*v? I^¡mt\m? AXn¸mkmsXw s»uhpw C«p sfmt`w sSmtXw Nm\n¨v Ip*¯p doZow sk¨p Fs¶ C§sW Nm\m³ Wà {Sn Bt\m? F§Wm Wn§av B¼ntÅÀ Fs¶t¸ms`]pÅ Du¡³ I^¡pNsa¡p_n¨v b_]p¶ Nf³_pNÄ? {co B]n b_tªm tfmtW, AsSms¡ tNÄ¡m³ FWn¡nãfm””
ASnhpµ^n]pw ]pkSn]pfm] B fmUN hpµ^n A¸ khv{S§an Ip*n doZn]pfm]n WnÂNp¶ NmjvI Ak³s_ A^s¡«n So bnXn¸n¨p. Ak³ A^s¡«ns` fpj¸n bnXn¨fÀ¯n.
“”Du¡n¸q_n, Np®]q¡n , Np®¸q_n Fs¶ms¡]m f½o fwfns]t¸ms` hpµ^nI^¡pNsa Nm\pt¼mÄ F³s_ {c*vhv N½âv b_]ps¶.””
“”doZn N¯n¨p Sm tfmtW, Wà shN-vhv b_]pt¼mÄ ASv tfmtWt¸ms` hpµ^¡p«¸³fmt^msXm¸w shN-vhv b_]pt¼mÄ doZn k`n¨v bpNknXp¼w {Sn C^«n¡pw””
AkÄ AkWp FSns^]pÅ Nth^]n C^p¶p. At¸mÄ AkapsX AXn¸mkmX bqÀ®fm]pw SpXNan Wn¶v fm_n. t]mWn GSm*v bqÀ®fm]pw AkWp fp¼n Sp_¶p.
tZknhv AkapsX bq_nt`¡v tWm¡n. hpµ^fm] fX¡pNÄ. kn_¨p NÃn¨p Nm\mkp¶ fpjp¯ N´v. fUK`w HjpNn]n_§n bqÀ¯Xw fpjpk³ WWsªm`n¨v, NpSnÀ¶v-…
tZknhv bq_nt`¡v tWm¡n]n^n¡pN]m\v F¶v- A¸w Njnªm\v AkÄ¡v fWÊn`m]Sv–.
“”As¿m, tfmtW f½osX bq_p fpjpk³ Sp_¶n^n¡]m\tÃm. AXn¸mkmX]v¡v H«pw C_¡fnÃm¯Sv sNm*m””
SpXNÄ Bksâ fp¼n A¸w NqXn Sp_¶v sk¨psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”hm^fnà f½o””
Sosb«n]p^¨p doZn N¯n¨p sNmXp¯psNm*v Ak³ b_ªp.
“”Sot]ä_n f½osX bq_n Mm³ sIm_nªp NXn So^v¯StÃ. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv ASpsNm*v Ct¸mÄ bq_p F³s_ fp¼n Sp_¶n^p¶m Npj¸sfm¶pfnÃ.””
AkÄ doZn k`n¨p bpN fq¡n`qsX]pw km]n`qsX]pw DuSn¸_¯n.
“”””F§sW]p*v tfmtW? “”
bpN]qSn¸_¯n AkÄ tImUn¨p,
“”””f½n sfmt`w sSmtXw bq_pw Nm\n¨p doZn k`n¡pt¼mÄ Nm\m³ F§sW]p*v?””
“”””F³s_ f½o””
Ak³ A^s¡«v bnXn¨fÀ¯n.
“”CSptbms` H^p {Sn »p cn`nw Nm\pt¼mÄ tbm`pw Nn«n]n«nÃ. “”
“”Hm, CSptbms` Hs¡ tfm³ b_]p¶Sv tNÄ¡pt¼mÄ l^o^¯nWpw fWÊnWpw Hs¡ Fs´m^p hpOfms\t¶m. Smtjw fpNan`pw bp_Nn`psfms¡ sSmaªp Np¯n¡]_p¶ hpOw,””
AkÄ doZn k`n¨v bpN]qSn kn«v sNm*v b_ªp.
“”Bt\m f½o? tW^v?’
doZn k`n¨p bpNknXp¶SnWnX]n AkapsX SXn¨ AV^w Ipwdn¨v Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”bn¶ntÃ,””
AkÄ SpXNÄ b^fmkVn]N¯n sk¨psNm*v b_ªp.
“”FWnt¡äkpw hpOw S^p¶Sv Ht^hf]w b`^pw Fs¶ Nan¡pt¼mam. bs£ ASntW¡mÄ F´v hpOfm Wn³s_ NqsX C§sW C^p¶p kÀ¯mWw b_]m³””
“”f½o, W½av WÃ {c*vhv B]n^n¡m¶p l^n¡pw t{bmfnhv sI]vSSm ASpsNm*p Wfp¡v F´pw hwhm^n¡mw. H^p Han]pw f_]pw NqXmsS. Wm\n¡msS.””
“”bn¶ÃmsS,””
doZn k`n¨p bpN]qSnkn«v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”AStÃ, tfm³s_ fp¼n C§sW sfm`]pw sSmX]pw bq_pw Sp_¶p k¨v doZow k`n¨p Wà N« shN-vhv b_]ps¶. hpOw Nm^\w bq_o¶p W¶m]n Np¯n H`n¡pkm””
bpN]qSn¸_¯n AkÄ NpWnªv S³s_ t]mWn]nt`¡v tWm¡n. fUK` {bkmi¯m bq_pw N´pw NqSn¨m`pw ko*pw WWªv NpSn^p¶Sv AkÄ AksW Nm\n¨p sNmXp¯p.
“”FWn¡Sv Nm\mw,””
Ak³ S³s_ A^]ns` fpjbn bnXn¨p AfÀ¯n Sn^p¶n ¸_ªp.
“”B\p§sa Nm\pt¼mÄ Ss¶ FWn¡v H`n¡m³ SpX§pw tfmtW,””
doZn¡pän Bs{ã]n sk¨p AkÄ b_ªp. AkÄ F¶n« hnPs^äv– bm]v¡äv FXp¯p. Sp_¶v Hs¶Xp¯p Ip*¯v sk¨p. AksW tWm¡n bp©n^n¨psNm*v AkÄ hnPs^äv– N¯n¨p. ASpN*t¸mÄ Ak³s_ A^s¡«ns` ssNNapsX I`Ww NqXn.
“”””tfmtW f½n¡p tfm³s_ hmVWw H¶v Nm\n¨p SmXm,””
bpN]qSnkn«v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”f½n tfmWv FÃmw Nm\n¨pS^p¶ntÃ? f½n¡pfntà tfm³s_ hmVWw Nm\\sf¶v B{Piw?””
“”””Nm\n¡mw f½n, bs£ “”
At¸mtj¡pw kmSn¡ fp«ptN«p.
“”GSp ssf^Wm Cu tW^¯v?””
“”f½o, Cu tW^¯v W½psX NSNn Bs^¦n`pw fp«\sf¦n f½ns] AtWzgn¨m. f½n sI¶p NSNv Sp_¡v””
“”tfmtW Ak^v fsäSnWm\v N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv k¶sS¦nt`m?””
bpN]qSn¸_¯n AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”A§sW]ms\¦n h½Sn¡\w,””
Ak³ bp©n^n¨p. Ak³s_ ssN¯`w fp¼ns` fpjbn Af^p¶Sv AkÄ N*p.
“”tfmtW W½Ä hwhm^n¨n^n¡m³ k¶SsÃX?””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”bs£ f½n¡v H¶v hpOn¨m sNmÅmsf¶ntÃ?””
Ak³ tImUn¨p.
AkÄ Wm\n¨p S`Smjv¯n AksW tWm¡n.
“”W½Ä Wà shN-vhv Hs¡ b_ªp f½n¡p IqXv N]_n]ntà ? H¶v Nan¨m sNmÅmw F¶ntÃ? bqäo¶v C§sW H`n¡p¶Sn³s_ ^ihyw bns¶ F´pkm?””
“”Bs^¦n`pw H^msa C¸w Ss¶ Nn«\sf¶pw l^ns¡m¶p Nan¡\w F¶p*v tfmtW. ASv tW^m. bs£ AsSm¶pw tfmtWmXpÅ hvtWi¯nWpw tft` k^nÃ.””
“”ASv hm^fnÃ, f½n, Ct¸mÄ hf]w Fjpf\n B]Stà DÅq. Ak^v fmN-vhnfw H^p f\n¡q_n NqXpS FXp¡nÃ.””
“”tkt\m tfmtW?””
AkÄ tImUn¨p.
“”tk\w tk\w,””
Ak³ In^n¨p.
“”FWns¡m¶p l^n]v¡p Nm\mWm f½n””
“”Hm!””
AkÄ AUvepSs¸«v tImUn¨p.
“”tfmWv Nm\mWmt\m? F¦n f½n {SnÃXn¨p. F³s_ I¡t^ fpt¯ ASv tW^s¯ b_]m³ tf`m]n^pt¶mXm. sWW¡v tk*n f½n F´pw sI¿pw.””
“”f½n, Mm³ A¸p_s¯ fp_n]n Nm\pw AknsX]n^p¶m l^n¡pNm\w””
AkÄ In^n¨p sNm*v hm^ns]Xp¡m³ SpX§n. tZknhv kn`¡n .hqh³ kmSn¡t`¡v tbmNm³ SpX§n.
“”f½o H¶v Wns¶,””
tZknhv knan¨p. AkÄ Sn^nªp Wn¶p.
“”tWm¡s«,””
Ak³ AkapsX {dm]v¡pÅns` kn§ns¯_n¨p Wn¡p¶ fp`Nans`¡pw AXn¸mkmX]psX Smsj Np® N¼n]m¡p¶ SpXNans`¡pw tWm¡n.
“”Dw, C¸w sbÀscNväv H^p skXn `p¡v D*v. bs£…””
Ak³ tfl¸p_¯n^p¶ hnPs^äv– bm]v¡äv FXp¯p. ASn Wn¶v Hs¶Xp¯v AkapsX Ip*¯v sk¨p. bns¶ ASv N¯n¨psNmXp¯p.
“”hnPs^äv Ip*¯v skt¨m*v tk\w f½n NSNp sSm_¡m³. At¸mjm\v– H^p ssi ¢mhv skXn `p¡v H*mNq.””
AkÄ hnPs^äv– Bªpk`n¨p bpN fq¡n`qsX]pw km]n`qsX]pw DuSn¸_¯n klyfm]n bp©n^n¨p.
“”bns¶ tks_m^p Nm^yw,””
AkapsX Ip*n NXn¨p Ipwdn¨psNm*p S³s_ A_]n koÀ¯p koÀ¯p k^p¶ Np®fpj¸n bnXn¨fÀ¯n Ak³ b_ªp,
“”H^p f\n¡q_n H^p `£w S¶m fm{Stf h½Sn¡mkq.””
“”H^p `£tfm?””
AkÄ AUvepSs¸«p.
“”AsSm¶pw h½Sn¡nà tfmsW.””
“”f½n tWm¡nt¡m, H^p `£w Nm¡ sk¨pS^pw AkÀ. Asæn Nt*m. Csæn tk*. W½Ä B^ptX]pw sbm_sNtbmNp¶SÃtÃm. h½Sn¨nsæn N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv tk*.””
“”l^n,””
AkÄ Np`p§nIn^n¨p.
bns¶ AkÄ NSNp Sp_¶p.
fp¼n ^*p sI_p¸¡mÀ Wn`vNp¶Sv N*p.
“”F´m?””
bpN]qSnkn«psNm*v hqh³ tImUn¨p.
“”M§av tI¨ns]t¯Xn k¶Sm,””
ASns`m^p¯³ b_ªp.
“”bm¸¨³ sfmS`man]m tI¨ns]¸än¸_tª.””
AkapsX ^qbw N*p DfnWo^n_¡n A´w kn«p Wn¡pN]m\v ^*ptb^pw. GtSm AWy{PiKokns]¡m\pt¼mjp*mNp¶ b^n{efkpw.
hqh³ Aks^ tWm¡n irUyfm]n In^n¨p.
“”F´pbän, kÃmSn^n¡ps¶?””
AkÄ tImUn¨p. Njp¯n_¡w Nq«nsk«n] s»uhnWN¯v koÀ¯p Wn_ªp NnX¡p¶ AkapsX k`n] fp`NÄ tWm¡n DfnWo^n_¡pN]m\v Ct¸mjpw C^pk^pw.
“”tI¨n]psX t_]väv F{S]m?””
Nq«¯n D]^w NqXn] BÄ tImUn¨p.
“”f\n¡q_nWp H^p `£w,””
hnPs^äv– bpN DuSn¸_¯ns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp.
Ak^psX fpOwsSanªp. AkÀ C^pk^pw tbjvhv Sp_¶p. ^*m]n^¯n³s_ C^pb¯n]©p tWm«pNÄ koSw FXp¯p AkapsX ssN¿n sNmXp¯p.
“”CWn H^pf\n¡qÀ tW^t¯¡v tI¨n M§Ä¡v hz´ftÃ?”” AkapsX fp`]n bnXn¨psNm*v D]^w Np_ª]mÄ tImUn¨p.
“”H^p `£w ^qb S¶StÃ, tImUnt¡*]mklyfpt*m?””
D]^w NqXn] BÄ AkapsX bmkmX sbm¡n I´n]n bnXn¨v Nl¡tk AkÄ tImUn¨p.
tZknhv dm¯v_qfnWv bn¼n`pÅ k^m´]n`m]n^p¶p. H^mÄ hqh³s_ fp`]n`pw fsä]mÄ AkapsX I´n]n`pw bnXn¨psNm*p NnX¡]nt`¡v k^p¶Sv Ak³ N*p. Ak³s_ Np® bSnkn¡qXpS d`w sk¨p. Ko³hn³s_ hnºv Ajn¨p Ak³ ASnsW bp_t¯¡n«p. hqh³ sdÍn³s_]Xn]n b\w sk¡p¶Sv Ak³ N*p.
“”FXm hmtf, Wfp¡v AVnNw ssXw CÃ,””
D]^w Np_ª]mÄ fsä]mtamXv b_ªp.
“” Cu I^¡nsW l^n¡pw fpS`m¡\w. tkt*?””
“”AsS¶m tImUykm hSolm,””
D]^fpÅ]mÄ In^n¨p. Ak³ CSntWmXNw hqh³s_ bmkmX sbm¡n AkapsX bqÀ SXkm³ SpX§n]n^p¶p. hqh³ Ak^psX bm³ävhn³s_ fpj¸n C^p ssNNapw sNm*p AfÀ¯n. AkÄ AkÀ¡nX]n Wn`¯n^p¶p. bns¶ Ak^psX hnºv Ajn¡pkm³ SpX§n. bns¶ AkapsX fmUN l^o^w N*n«v fq¯v knaª IqXvbnX¨ Ak^psX Np®NÄ AkÄ S³s_ Wo*p ewPn]pÅ kn^`pNÄ sNm*v bp_s¯Xp¯p…
tZknhv tWm¡pt¼mÄ hqh³s_ Ipk¶ Ip*pNÄ Ak^psX ^*p Np®NÄ¡v Ipäpw k`]w SoÀ¯n^n¡p¶p. bns¶ AkÄ ^*pNp®NÄ km]nÂWns¶Xp¯p. Hs^®w km]n sk¨p k`n¨o¼ns¡m*v ftäSp Wà tkP¯n hpOn¸n¨v km\fXn¨v sNmXp¯psNm*n^p¶p. B fp_nWn_s] Ak^psX hpOmhàn]psX N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv A`À¨Napw ho¡m^§apw sNm*v fpO^nSfm]n. S§Ä¡v KoknS¯n `en¨n«pÅ Gäkpw k`n] ss`wPnN hpOfm\sS¶v Ak^psX fpO§Ä knan¨pb_ªp.
bns¶ hmw Aksa NnX¡]n f`À¯n¡nX¯n. SpXNÄ knXÀ¯nsk¨v Np® AkapsX bq_nt`¡v AXp¸n¨p. A_n]s¸Xp¶ skXn]m]n^p¶SnWm AkapsX bq_n A]mapsX Np® AWm]mhw N]_nt¸mNpsf¶m\v– A]mÄ N^pSn]Sv. bs£ A]msa AUvepSs¸Xp¯ns¡m*v A]mapsX Np® bSns] D^ªv, A]mÄ¡v b^fmkVn hpOw sNmXp¯m\v AkapsX bq_n`qsX N]_nt¸m]vs¡m*n^p¶Sv. hmw hqh³s_ bq_n Np® {btkln¸n¨psNm*n^p¶t¸mÄ hSol³ AkapsX fpO¯nWv– fp¼n Nk¨n^p¶v- Np® AkapsX km]n sNmXp¯p. B sbmhngWn H^p fXp¸pw NqXmsS hqh³ Aks^ C^pks^]pw fm_nfm_n hpOn¸n¨p. hmfn³s_ Np® hqh³s_ bq_nt`¡v N]_pN]pw C_§pN]pw sI¿p¶Sv N*v– tZknhv Np®s]Xp¯v Bªv km\fXn¡m³ SpX§n.
AXp¯ ^wPw tZknhnsW l^n¡v knhvf]n¸n¨p. hmw hqh³s_ AXn]n¡nX¶v- Np® AkapsX NqSn]nt`¡v bSns] {btkln¸n¨p. At¸mÄ hSol³ hqh³s_ tf N]_n¡nX¶v AkapsX bq_nt`¡v Np® N]än. AkapsX NqSn]pw bq_pw Ht^hf]w ^*p Np®Nsa hzoN^n¨p. hSol³s_ C^p ssNNapw AkapsX SpÅnkn_¡p¶ fp`Nsa AfÀ¯n¡l¡p¶p*m]n^p¶p.
b`Sk\ tZknhn³s_ Np® bm`pIoäm³ sk¼ns]¦n`pw Ak³ ASv SXªpWnÀ¯n. NXn]pw Nmf¡`n¸pw A§nsW Ss¶ Wn¡s«. AkÀ tbm]n¡jnªv f½n]psX NqsX H^p bmXv N¼n b_ªv hpOn¡mWpÅSm\v. At¸mÄ Np® fq¯v fp_pNn Wn¡\w.
Ak³s_ fp¼n S³s_ f½n]psX bq_n`pw NqSn]n`pw Ht^hf]w Btklt¯msX Ak^psX Np®NÄ N]_n]n_§ns¡m*n^p¶p. Sm³ Nm\m_pÅ H^p tbm¬ koZnt]m]n`pw A{S NrSySt]msX, tIm^ Sna¸n¡p¶ H^p Urlyw N*Sm]n HmÀ¡m³ AkWp NjnªnÃ. f½n]psX Btklkpw DuÀÖkpfm\v AksW ASyVnNw AUvepSs¸Xp¯n] fsäm^p Nm^yw. Aks^¡mÄ BhzUn¡p¶Sv f½n]m\v. f½n]psX N`n¸pw l^o^ I`W§apw b_]p¶ sS_nkm¡pNapw tN«m f½n AkÀ¡v b\w sNmXp¯v Nan¡p¶Sv tbms`]p*v. CX]v¡v AkapsX N®pNÄ Ss¶ Sn^]p¶Sv Ak³ N*p. AkhmWw dm¯v _qfn³s_ kls¯ CXWmjn]n f_ªp Wn¡p¶ Ss¶ AkÄ N*p. Np®]n bnXn¨p km\fXn¨p sNm*n^n¡p¶ S³s_ ssNNapsX I`Ww AkÄ Nm\p¶p*v F¶v tZknhnWv tSm¶n. Ss¶ N*fm{S]n AkapsX tkPkpw Btklkpw C^«n¡p¶Sv Ak³ N*p. AkapsX N®pNÄ S³s_ N®pNan`m\v. Ak³ ftäss¡sNm*v AkapsX tWs^ “”Swbvhv Abv”” fp{U Nm\n¨p sNm*p bp©n^n¨p.
AkÀ fm_nfm_n hqh³s_ bq_n`pw NqSn]n`pw Np® N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv N]än hpOn¨p. bns¶ AkÀ Aksa Wm`pNm`n WnÀ¯n. hmw AkapsX bn¼n Wn¶v bqänt`¡v Np® AXn¨p N]än. fp¼n Wn¶v hSol³ AkapsX km]n`pw. ^*ptb^pw fÕ^n¨v km]n`pw bq_n`pw làn]m]n, {em´fm] Btklt¯msX Np®NÄ AXn¨p SÅns¡mXp¯psNm*n^p¶p. At¸msjÃmw hqh³s_ N®pNÄ tZknhn `m]n^p¶p. AkÄ hpOw fq¯v A`_ns¡m*n^p¶p.
AkhmWw Ak^psX Np®NÄ H^pfn¨v lp¢fjsb¿n¨p. AkÀ AkapsX fpO¯pw fp`]n`pw skap¯p sNmjp¯ {Now Hjn¨v sNmXp¯p. F´pfm{Sw bm`m\v Ak^psX Np®NÄ S³s_ f½n]psX tUi¯v Duäns]mjn¡p¶sS¶v N*t¸mÄ tZknhv AUvepSs¸«p. Wnfng§Ä¡pÅn AkapsX fpOkpw fp`Napw Ip*pNapw Ak^psX fUW¡pj¼n sbmSnªp.
AkhmWs¯ b^m{Nf§apw WX¯n]SnWp tlgw AkÀ tbm]n¡jnªv tZknhv Np® Ko³hnWpÅnt`¡v SÅn¡]än. F¦n`pw H^p k`n] NqXm^w tbms` ASv fp¼n SÅn fpj¨v Wn¶p. bns¶ Ak³ AkapsX tWs^ k¶p.
hqh³ bqÀ® WPvWWm]n lp¢ fj]n¡pSnÀ¶v- f`À¶v NnX¡pN]m]n^p¶p. Ak³ k^p¶Sv N*p AkÄ Fjpt¶Â¡m³ SpX§n.
“”tk*, f½n, Fjps¶Â¡*, NnXt¶maq,””
Ak³ bp©n^n¨p sNm*p AkapsX]Xp¯v H^p Nth^]n C^p¶p.
“”H^p hnPs^äv– Sm tfmtW..””
‘Hm,””
Ak³ Ad²w bän]Sptbms` b_ªp. F¶n«v tfltf`n^p¶ {Xn¸nÄ ssckv hnPs^än³s_ bm]v¡äv Sp_¶p. Hs¶Xp¯p AkapsX Ip*pNÄ¡nX]n sk¨p. bns¶ Sos¸«ns]Xp¯v N¯n¨psNmXp¯p.
“”imkq…””
hnPs^äv– Bªp k`n¨p fq¡n`qsX]pw km]n`qsX]pw bpN]qSnkn«v Blzmht¯msX AkÄ b_ªp.
“”sk_psS]Ã BapNan§sW doZn]pw hnPs^äpw k`n¡p¶Sv! Ft´m^mlzmhfm WÃ H^p b\nNjnªv C§sW bpNs]Xp¯mÂ!””
“”b\ns]¶v b_ªmÂ?””
tZknhv bp©n^n¨psNm*v tImUn¨p.
“”^*ptb^p tIÀ¶v f½osW¸\n]p¶Sv tfm³ N*ntÃ?””
Ak³s_ N®pNÄ S³s_ fp`Nan`pw SpXNan`pw bq_n`pw fm_n fm_n h©^n¡tk AkÄ b_ªp.
“”f½n FWvtKm]v– sI]vtSm?””
“”bn¶ntÃ? C¶s¯ F³tKm]vsf³äv hvsbgy AtÃ?””
AkÄ hnPs^äv– Bªpk`n¨v bpN]qSnkn«psNm*v b_ªp.
“”AsS´m?””
A^s¡«ns` fpj]n AkÄ Nm¬tN bnXn¨fÀ¯ns¡m*v Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”C¶v F³s_ tfmWv Nm\mWpÅ hvsbgy Nan]Ãm]n^pt¶m? fm{SfÃ, H^p Nan¡v H^p `£w km§n¡p¶ BUys¯ Nan]pw.””
At¸mjm\v– sdÍnWXn]n sk¨ b\s¯¸än tZknhv HmÀ¯Sv. Ak³ ASv AknsXWn¶p sfXp¯p. AkapsX tWs^ ASn]m] ht´mgt¯msX tWm¡n. AkÄ hwSrbvSnt]msX N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AksW tWm¡n. Ak³ B b\w Ak³s_ tWs^ Wo«n.
“”tfmWpÅSm ASv,””
AkÄ b_ªp.
“”f½n Nan¨pNn«p¶ b\sfÃmw CWn F³s_ tfmWpÅSm.””
“”AsS´m f½n?””
AkapsX bqÀ®WPvWSs] N®pNÄ sNm*p SXkp¶SnWnX]n Ak³ tImUn¨p.
“”C¶s¯ Unkhw FWn¡v f_¡mWmkm¯Sv sNm*v,””
hnPs^äns` AkhmWs¯ bpN Bªpk`n¨psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”C¶m\v W½Ä sdÌv {c*vhv B]Sv. C¶m\v F³s_ l^n]m] kn` tfm³ FWn¡v fWÊn`m¡n S¶Sv.””
“”l^n]m] kn` F¶v b_ªmÂ?””
“”Ct§m«v tWm¡v tfmtW,”” AkÄ ^*p ssNNÄ sNm*pw S³s_ Sp_n¨, k`n] fp`NÄ Nq«n¸nXn¨p.
“”CSnWpw…””
bns¶ AkÄ H^p ssN Nk¡nX]nt`¡v sNm*ptbm]n. NkNÄ knXÀ¯n bq_p Sp_¶p AknsX N¿n«p.
“”…..bns¶ CSnWpw….””
ASnWp tlgw AkÄ klw sI^nªpNnX¶n«v NqSn ssNsNm*v sbman¨pbnXn¨v AksW¡m\n¨p.
“”….bns¶ CSnWpw A{S kn`]p*v F¶v tfm³ b_sª C¶tÃ? b_]pN fm{SfÃ, ASv {bqkv sI¿pN]pw sI]vSp. H^p `£w F¶v b_ªt¸mÄ Mm³ knIm^nt¨ Ak·mÀ Fs¶ C«n«v tks_ kÃkÄfms^]pw tSXnt¸mNpsf¶m. bs£ H^p fXn]pfnÃmsS tImUn¨fm{S]n Ss¶ Ak·mÀ H^p `£sfXp¯v ssN¿n S¶p.””
AkÄ Ns¿¯n¨v hnPs^äv– bm]v¡äv FXp¯p. fsäm^p hnPs^äv– FXp¯v N¯n¨p.
“”F³s_ f½o. f½n¡_n]mªn«m,””
Ak³ knh-vNns]Xp¯v ¥mhnt`¡v bNÀ¯p¶¯nWnX]n b_ªp,
“”f½n¡_n]nÃ, f½ns]t¸ms` H^p Bä³ I^¡nWv– hnäos`ms¡ F¶m sk`]m¶v-!””
¥mÊpNan thmZ]pw sFhv NyqdpNapfnXtk, BNmw£Wn_ª hqh³s_ fpOfm\v Ak³ Nm\p¶Sv.
“”fpwssd, AÃ, dmw¥qÀ, HmsN, W½psX tNm¨n tbm`s¯ H^p k³ WP^¯n f½n]psX shN-vhn tim«v tdmZn]v¡v H^p ^m{Sn F{S kn`k^pw F¶_n]mtfm?””
“”C¶v Nn«n]Sn³s_ C^«n? G? At{Sw, At{Sw Nn«ptkm?””
“”F³s_ f½o, C§Ws¯ Sfml b_]tÃ,””
Ak³ Aksa tWm¡nIn^n¨p. bns¶ bpN]psX Wn_kv Ipk¶ Ip*pNapsX kr¯mNrSn]n`qsX bp_t¯¡v tbmNp¶SnWX]n Ak³ AkapsX Ip*pNan AfÀ¯n]fÀ¯n Ipwdn¨p. At¸mÄ Ak³s_ sW©v AkapsX WPvWfm] k`n] fp`Nan AfÀ¶p. fp`¡®pNÄ AfÀ¶p sM^n]p¶ hpOw AkÄ A_nªp.
“”f½o, bSnW©p `£w F¶v Mm³ b_ªm f½n tdmVw sNXptfm?””
hqh³s_ N®pNÄ bp_t¯¡p ImXm³ sk¼n. AkÄ¡p lzmhw Wn`¡p¶p F¶v tSm¶n. AkÄ AknlzhWo]St]msX NnX¡]n Fjpt¶än^p¶p.
“”bSnW©p `£w-“”
AkÄ H¨]n«p.
“”H^p ^m{Snt¡m?””
“”FN-vhmNvän`n,””
Ak³ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv b_ªp.
Ak³s_ N®pNÄ ko*pw AkapsX l^o^¯n tN{µoN^n¨p.
“”Sm¦v ]q f½n,””
“”F´nWm tfmtW.””
“”Wm\tfm fXnt]m CÃmsS F³s_ fp¼n C§sW sSm_¶v- sbman¨v C^n¡p¶SnÂ.””
“”FWn¡Sv F´vfm{Sw {Sn S^p¶p*v F¶v WnW¡_n]nÃ. Mm³ F³tKm]v sI¿pkm\v. CSptbms` hvtWifpÅ, hpµ^Wm] H^p sI_p¸¡m^³s_ fp¼n bqÀ®WPvW]m]n C^n¡p¶SnÂ.””
“”Ct{Sw k`n] Sp_n¨, sS_n¨, sNmjp¯, Nó sfmt`w SXn¨p tgs¸mÅ sSmtXw bq_pw NqSow Hs¡ Nm\n¨v Ip*Sv hnPs^äv– bpN]p¶ hvPs^äv sk¨v…Hm, F³s_ f½o…””
Ak³ A^s¡«ns` fpj]n AkÄ Nm¬sN AfÀ¯n]fÀ¯n SjpNn.
“”tfmtW FWn¡v A§sW]pÅ H^p hnäo tbm\w.””
bpN]qSnkn«v AkÄ b_ªp.
“”f\n¡q_nWp b¯pw bSnW©pw `£w Nn«p¶ hnäoÂ?””
“”tbmNmw. SoÀ¨]m]pw tbmNmw f½o.””
Ak³ bp©n^n¨p.
“”GSp Ø`fm f½n¡nãw?””
“”AsSm¶pf_n]nÃ,”” AkÄ b_ªp.
“”Gäkpw NmlpNn«p¶ Ø`w GSm.tfm³ ASv knlUfm]n H¶v bYn¡v. F¶n«v tfm³ Ss¶ AsSms¡ So^pfmWnt¨m.””
Ak³ H¶mt`mIn¨p. A`vbw Njnªv Ak³ b_ªp:
“”fpwssd!””
“”l^n””
knhv¡n NpXn¨p Njnªv ¥mhv Smsj sk¨p AkÄ b_ªp.
“”AknsX]ms\¦n FWns¡m¯n^n {c*vhpw D*v.””
tZknhv Bt`mIn¨p.