^mkns` D_¡fp\À¶v- Kho´ SnXp¡¯n Fjpt¶äp. AVnNw hf]fnà . tkPw H^p§\w. C¶s` ^m{SnSs¶ fmtWKÀ dmipt`]tWmXv `okn³s_ Nm^yw knan¨pb_ªn^p¶p. Ah´pãvXnt]msX]ms\¦n`pw A]mÄ `okv AWpkUn¨p. CWn A]mÄ AWpkUn¨nsæn`pw SWn¡v `okv FXp¡msS bänÃ. Nm^\w CSv S³s_ fNapsX emkn]psX {blvWfm\v. C¶s` N*Sm\v AkapsX AhpO¯n³s_ eoN^fm] AkØ. A½s]s¡m*v AÇo` NTNÄ km]n¸n¡pN, F¶n«v A½]psX fp¼n bq^v¶WPvW]m]n hz]wtemPw sI¿pN. hwek§Ä H^p AÇo` hnWnf]n Wn¶v- ]TmÀ° KoknS¯nt`¡v C_§n k¶Sp tbms`]m\v C¶`s¯ hwek§saÃmw. AkÄ AXp¡a]nt`¡v WX¶p. WX¡pt¼mÄ Ft¸mjpw S³s_ SXn¨p kn^nªp]À¶ I´nNapsX I`W§apw fpt¼m«v– Sp_n¨p]À¶v- sS_n¡p¶ fp`NapsX I`Wkpw AkÄ A_n]p¶p*m]n^p¶p. Kho´]v¡v ASv kas^ Cãfm]n^p¶p. fp`NapsX]pw I´nNapsX]pw I`W§Ä hz]w A_n]pN. At¸mÄ M^¼pNÄ hz]w k`nªv fp_pNpw. ^à¯n³s_ Dugvfmkp]^pw. ^mkns`Nan AkapsX Wnlmkhv{S¯nWNSv AXnkhv{S§Ä D*m]n^n¡pN]nÃ. NnX¡pt¼mÄ {dm]pw bmân]pw Ajn¨psk¡m_p*v. NnX¡pt¼mÄ fp`NÄ¡v koÀ¸pfp«Â AWpeks¸XmSn^n¡mWm\v {dm]jn¨p sk¡p¶Sv. S³s_ hzemk¯n³s_ {btSyNS Nm^\w, Nmf knNm^w AfnSfm]pÅ hv{Sos]¶ Wn`]n bq_v fn¡km_pw WWªn^n¡p¶Sv bm³äns] WW]v¡psf¶v- A_n]mkp¶Sv sNm*v Kho´ ^m{Sn]n A^]v¡v Ipäpw Wnlmkhv{SfÃmsS fsäm¶pw CXnÃ. AXp¡a]nt`¡v WX¡tk AkÄ fNapsX fp_n]nt`¡v H¶v- bman tWm¡n. NSNv AX¨n«nÃ. ANt¯¡v tWm¡n] Kho´ knhvf]e^nSfm] H^p hpµ^Urlyw N*p. ftWmi^fm] H^p ]qt_mby³ sb]n³änwPv tbms` Ipk¶ kn^n]pÅ NnX¡]n bqÀ®WPvW]m]n D_§p¶ sZ]vhn. f`À¶m\v– NnX¡p¶Sv. ftWmi^fm] sNmjp¯ SpXNÄ knXÀ¯n sk¨n^n¡p¶p. H^p Nm A¸w fX¡n]m\v sk¨n^n¡p¶Sv. {bemS¯n³s_ hzÀ® Wn_fpÅ hq^y skan¨w KWm`]n¡qXn ANt¯¡v k^nN]pw AkapsX NkNÄ¡nX]n`pÅ tWÀ¯ N_p¯ t^mf§Ä¡v tf`pw ASnWpÅns` {Shn¡p¶ N´nsâ tf`pw ASnWpw Smsj A¸w bnaÀ¶n^n¡p¶ bq_n³s_ tf`pw Ak Wn_ªp b^¡pN]pw sI]vSp. sk]n Wn_ª B{cn¡]ns` knlm`fm] hmk¶NÄ tbms`. CsSms¡ N*n«m]n^n¡mw {blhvS^m] In{SNm^·mÀ fWwf]¡p¶ sb]n³än§pNÄ WnÀ½n¡p¶Sv. en¯ntf lànt]msX NpSn¡p¶ H^p skÅ¡pSn^]psX In{Sfp*v. A¸tW^w NqXn sItSmi^fm] B Urlyw fWwNpanÀs¡ N*SnWp tlgw AkÄ AXp¡a]nt`¡v WX¶p. sfmssd N¿n`p*v. ^mkns`Nan fn¡km_pw tim«`n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wn¶v- tcm¬ k^pw. AXp¡a]n sI¶v- Kho´t]mÀ¯p. NqXpSs`m¶pw D*m¡*. ]m{S tbmkpN]m\v. e£\w bp_¯pWn¶v- Njn¡mw. Ct¸mÄ S¡m`w Im]]nXmw. AkÄ {cnZvKv Sp_¶v- bmWnt`¡v bm Hjn¨p. Ìkv– N¯n¨p Sn^nªt¸mÄ sM«nt¸m]n. fp¼n sZ]vhn Wn¡p¶p. “”H¶v- H¨]n«n«v k^m³ bmXnÃm]n^pt¶m tfmsa? tim! Mm³ tbXn¨p tbm]n,”” AkapsX DX]mXNans`¡v Kho´]psX N®pNÄ sI¶p. C¶s`]n« fnWn h-vNÀ«pw Éokvs`hv tXm¸pw Ss¶]m\p tkgw. AkÄ Kho´s] sN«n¸nXn¨p. “”Fs¶ tbXn¡mtWm? Wà Nm^ym]n. Mm³ sk_pw bq¨¡p«n]tà At½?”” “”Dw, H^p bq¨¡p«n!”” AkapsX B`nwPW¯n³s_ hpO¯n `]n¨p Nr{Snf tUgyt¯msX Kho´ b_ªp. “”ASv b_]*. bq¨ WX¡p¶tbms`]m. Ht¨w AWt¡mw tN¸n¡msS!”” AXp¡a]psX bmUN¯n Im^n AkÄ Kho´ Im] D*m¡p¶Sv tWm¡n Wn¶p. “”C§sW Wn¶mt`m tfmsa?”” Kho´ fNtamXv tImUn¨p. “”sI¶v- Npan¨v H^p§v–. Wf¡v tbmNt*?”” “”f½ow km. Wf¡v H^pfn¨v Npan¡ms¶,”” sZ]vhn Aksa In^n¨psNm*v tWm¡n. “”sbt®, Wo Ip½m Nan b_]tÃ…Dw! F¶v- sk¨m NqSo¶v fªav fm_m¯ Npªv kmk]tÃ, Npan¸n¨v S^m³..”” sZ]vhn In^n¨p. AkapsX In^n]psX fm{´nN knhvf]¯nt`¡v N®pNÄ Imªt¸mÄ AkÄ¡v tSm¶n: Cu hpµ^n¡p«osW H¶v Npan¸n¨m F´m\v? “”F³s_ f½o,”” AkÄ In^n¡nX]n b_ªp. “”f½n b_ªSv tW^m. F³s_ NqSo¶v C¸jpw fªav fm_o«nÃ. hwl]skmt* Mm³ SoÀ¯v S^mw. C¶m, tWm¡v!”” ASv b_ªv AkÄ Sn^nªp Wn¶v h-vNÀ«v A^]v¡v fpNant`¡v sbm¡n WPvWfm] S³s_ WnSwd§Ä Nm\n¨p. BUyw lmhn¡m³ Wmkp]À¯n] Kho´ sbs«¶v- knhvf]t`m`]m]n S^n¨pWn¶p. Sp_¶ km]s] sbs«¶v- ssN]p]À¯n AkÄ f_¨p. “”it½…-“” Kho´]n Wn¶v- AUvepS¯n³s_ H^p IpXpWnlzmhw bp_s¸«p. knXÀ¶v- fpjp¯v, B WnSwdw H^p t`mNmUvepSw tbms` S³s_ fp¼nÂ. Cu tg¸v F§sW Nn«n CkÄ¡v? A¸w Ahq]t]msX Kho´t]mÀ¯p. lqt`mwNm^n]psX WnSwds¯¡p_n¨v thmaf³ D¯fPoS¯n FjpSn]Sv Kho´ sbs«t¶mÀ¯p. Cu WnSwdw N*p B\m]n¸n_¶kWv knNm^fp*mkp¶nsæn t`mNs¯ Gäkpw {bPUveWm] shNvthmaKnÌnWptbm`pw Ak³s_ AhpOw teUs¸Xp¯m³ Njn]nÃ. Wà SpXn¸v , Wà fmwhaw, Wà D^panf. Wà bSpbSp¸v F¶v- HätWm«¯n Ss¶ N*m A_n]mw. “”Dt*m f½o, fªÄ? F³s_ NqSoÂ?”” AkÄ fpOw N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv bnt¼ms«Xp¯v ko*pw tImUn¨p. “”Aà NqSo¶pw b_ªp Mm³ f½osW F¶Sm Nm\n¨psNmXp¡ps¶? AWn]¯ns] Nm\n¨v tI¨osW sN«n¡p¶Sv tbms` Np*n Nm\n¨n«v Mm³ NqSosX Nm^yw b_]pkmt\m?”” AkÄ ssNNÄ ^*pw bn¼nt`s¡Xp¯v I´nknXkpNÄ bnXn¨N¯n. “”CWn tWm¡v f½o,”” ^*p ssNNÄ sNm*pw PpUUzm^w k`pSm¡n Nm\n¨psNm*v sZ]vhn tImUn¨p. “”b_, Dt*m F³s_ NqSo fªÄ?”” H^p IpkXp fpt¼m«v– k¶p Kho´ AkapsX I´n¡v Wà H^p bn¨v sNmXp¯p. “”h-vNÀ«v Sm¯n]nXv tfmsa. F¶m kr¯ntNXm Cu Nm\n¡pt¶?”” “”kr¯ntNtXm?”” AkÄ In^n¨psNm*v tImUn¨p. “”F¶n«v lzmhkX¡n bnXn¨m\tÃm B kr¯ntNXv f½n tWm¡n Wn¶Sv?’ Kho´]pw In^n¨p. “”ASv tfmsa…F´v ^hm^p¶p tfmÄsX Np*n Nm\m³ …AStà f½n tWm¡oSv. FWn¡v Wà Nplp¼v tSm¶ptkw sI]vSp. FWn¡v tfmÄs¡mÅ tbms` Np*n]nÃtÃmt¶mÀ¯v,”” “”SmKvfi F´nWm ImÀfnWm_ntWmXv Nplp¼v Np¯ps¶ f½n,”” fpt¼m«v– k¶v- Kho´]psX WnSwd¯n AXn¨psNm*v AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”ssUkw Ct{Sw Wà fpjp¯ Np*n S¶n«pw hz´w tfmÄsX C¯n^nt¸m¶ Np*n N*v Nplp¼v Np¯n]mÂ…f½o …C§vim, W^N¯n tbmNp¶ kÀ¯mWw H¶pw b_]msS!”” bm Sna¡m³ SpX§n]t¸mÄ Kho´ H^p hvbqs\Xp¯v Ca¡m³ SpX§n. “”F´nWm f½o bm`nWm¯v hvbqs\Xp¯v Np¯n Fa¡ps¶?”” “”Np¯n Fa¡pskm¶pkÃ,”” AkÄ fNsa Nr{Snf tUgyt¯msX tWm¡n. “”C§sW Fa¡p¼w bm`v W¶m]n D_ªv, N«n]m]n, ^pIn]m]n k^pw,”” “”sNmt_ tW^w A§Ws¯ Wà fpjp¯ hvbq¬ sNm*v Np¯n¡p¯n Fa¡n N«n]m¡o«v tk\w Atà f½o bm`v NpXn¡m³?”” Kho´ D¯^w b_]msS fNapsX fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n. ftWmi^fm] N®pNÄ knXÀ¯n sZ]vhn]pw A½s] CfNaW¡msS tWm¡n. Nr{Snf tUgyw {Ntf\ bp©n^n]m]n. bp©n^n bns¶ In^n]m]n. Ak^n^pk^pw D_s¡ In^n¨p. “”sNmÅpw, Wo..§vim…b_tª¡mw,”” Kho´ hvbq¬ fNapsX tWs^ Iq*n. bm`n Im]s¸mXntIÀ¯p. C©ns¸mXn Sqkn. G`¯^nNÄ H¶p^s*®sfXp¯v Im]n tIÀ¯p. fp_n]n Im]]psX hpPÔw Wn_ªp. At¸mÄ Kho´]psX tcm¬ lÐn¨p. tfltf Wn¶v- AkÄ tcms\Xp¯v hv{NoWn tWm¡n. “”RD Cfiilnj…”” sZ]vhn]psX N®pNapw At¸mtj¡pw Kho´]psX sfmssd hv{NoWns`¯n]n^p¶p. “”Fw Zn? F¶v sk¨m sfmS`man?’ Kho´ AsS F¶ AÀ°¯n S`Np`p¡n. sbs«¶v N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv sZ]vhn Ns¿¯n¨v tcm¬ hvbo¡_n shäv sI]vSp. Kho´ DXtW ASv fmäns]¦n`pw DX³ Ss¶ sZ]vhn ASv ko*pw hvbo¡_nt`¡v fmän. “”tk* tfmsa…A]mav Ft´`pw kgav Hs¡¸_]pw,”” “”ASpsNm*m Mm³ hvbo¡_n`ns«,”” “”Hm …Cu hmVW¯n³s_ Nm^yw!”” Kho´ hz]w S`¡Xn¨p. “”it`m,hmÀ,”” AkÄ bns¶ hwhm^n¨p. “”F¶mXo AknsX Wo Bt^mtX`pw SÃpNqXpkmt\m? AtSm B^psXt]`pw km]ns`mÅ tW^¯v Bt\m Mm³ knant¨?”” tlym F¶v- b_ªpsNm*v Ad²w bän] AÀ°¯n AkÄ sZ]vhn]psX tWs^ fpOw Nm\n¨p. bns¶ tcm¬ hvbo¡_n Wn¶v- fmäm³ Wn¡n]t¸mÄ sZ]vhn ko*pw CX]n N]_n A½]psX tWs^ Nt¿m§n. “”H¶v- tbm hmt_ AXp¡a]n sS^¡n« b\n]m^p¶p. At¶^km…”” “”Wo Wn³s_ b\osX Nm^yw H¶pw Ft¶mXv b_]*,”” tcm\n`qsX In^n]n NpSnÀ¶ bp^pglÐw sZ]vhn tN«p. “”FXo, Wo C¶v sfmS H^mjv¨ `okm¶p b_ªtÃm ^qtbgv. tW^mt¶mXo?”” fmtWK^m\v ^qtbgv. “”AtS hmt_. sI_n] H^Symklyw k¶p,”” “”H^mjv¨ `oskXp¡m³ fm{Sw C¸w F¶m ASymklykmXo?”” “”ASv hmt_…H¶v- tNmt«Â tbm\w VymWw NqXm³,’ “”F³s_ bp\yma¨m-“” A]mapsX D¨¯n`pÅ lÐw AkÀ tN«p. “”SymWw NqXmtWm? Wot]m? ASpw tNmt«t`m? F³s_ sbm¶v Khot´, tfmsa, I¡t^, Ad²w H¶pw Nm\nt¨¡^pSv Wo…Wns¶s¡m*v CWow H*v H^pbmXv Bklyw Cu bmkw _nthmÀ«v sfmS`man¡v…Wo F³s_ _nthmÀ«v bq«n¡tÃ…”” “”H¶v- tbm hmt_ ^mkns` Ss¶ Nan]m¡msS,”” “”Mm³ tW^v b_ªSm…sWW¡_n]mtÃm. Np®]q¼mWpÅ Wn³s_ B {btSyN Njnkv HmÀ¯p fm{Sw W½sX _nthmÀ«n Smfhn¡p¶ Cãwtbms` hm]n¸pfm^pw Nm«_dnNapfp*v. Wos]§mWpw SymWw NqXn W¶m]nt¸m]m F³s_ sbm¶v tfmsa FWn¡v bns¶ sS*ptN Wnkr¯ns]mÅv tNt«m,”” ASptN«v Kho´ Wmkp NXn¨p. sZ]vhn bn¼n k¶pWn¶v A½t]mXv tIÀ¶v Aks^ Ipän¸nXn¨p. tcm¬ AN¯n¸nXn¨v– “”F³s_ tbm¶pNptª C§Ws¯ kgsa A]mav b_]s¯mÅq. Mm³ hvbo¡s_¶v- fmät«Xo?”” F¶v- tImUn¨p. “”tk* FWn¡v tN¡\w f½n, ¹ohv,”” sZ]vhn b_ªp. AkÄ ko*pw A½t]mXv tIÀ¶v Wn¶p. bn¼n Wn¶v- Kho´s] fp_psN bp\À¶v- fp`NÄ AkapsX bp_¯v l^n¡pw AfÀ¯n AkÄ Wn¶p. “”FXns]… Wo FknXm,”” “”CknsX H*v hmt_,”” Kho´ b_ªp. “”B SymW¸^nbmXn A§v Nym³h sI¿v–. F¶n«v tfmav sbs«¶v- C§v km,”” “”At¿m hmt_, N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv VymWw tfmÄsX H^mkly¯nWm. tbmNmsS bä¯nÃ. H^mjv¨ Njnªv Mm³ sb«¶§v kt¶¡ms¶,”” “”tfmÄsX Bkly¯ntWm?”” “”AsS hmt_,”” “”Hm …C¸jm H^v hfVmWkms],”” A]mÄ b_ªp. “”l^n sbmt¡m. sNmj¸knÃ. bs£ Wo Ct§m«v H¶v- km. CknXp¶v- tbmNmw SymW¯nWv,”” “”At¿m AsS´nWm hmt_,”” “”FXo B Wn¡v hm]n¸ntÃ? Wyqhn`*vNm^³ tNmXolz^³? A]mav tU C¸w W½sX _nthmÀ«n `m³Zv– sI]vSp. k¶¸w sSm«v Kho´s]s´y Kho´s]s´y F¶v- Ht^ tImUykm,”” “”bns¶,”” Kho´ tcm\n`qsX sImXn¨p. “”Wyqhn`*vNm^³ hm]n¸v Kho´s]s´y F¶v- tNm«]wNm^v tImUn¡p¶tbms` tImUn¡pktÃ…!”” “”FXo A]mav Cw¥ogn`m tImUnt¨. tkjohv Kjo´m…tkjohv Kjo´m F¶v-. MmWSv tNm«]w emtg {Xm³tÉäv sI]vSStÃ,”” S³s_ bn¼n sZ]vhn]psX fp`NapsX NqÀ¸kpw IqXpw Kho´]_nªp. A¸p_¯v “”U ssiävhv”” F¶ Sm³ tKm`n sI¿p¶ b©W£{S tim«`ns` `£§Ä kn`fSn¡p¶ hzoän Ss¶ {bSo£n¨v, Nmfsk_n bq*v NnX¡p¶ hpµ^Wm] bq¨¡®³ hm]n¸nsW¸än HmÀ¯t¸mÄ AkapsX Nm`n³s_ CX]n S^n¸pN]_n. Njnª Sk\ k¶t¸mÄ tW^w skap¡ptkmaw A]mÄ Ss¶ sM¡n¸njnªp Wo^qäns]Xp¯p. SWn¡pw Btklfm]n^p¶p, A]mapsX N^p¯nWpw NmftNanNamXmWpÅ sskUPvUy¯n³s_ fp¼nÂ. ASnhpµ^Wpw H^p Nm]nNSm^¯n³s_ l^o^ewPn]pfpÅ A]mÄ A¶v- S¶n Np¯nWn_¨ Nmff{´§tamÀ¯v F{S Sk\ SWn¨n^n¡pt¼mÄ Sm³ N´n kn^`fÀ¯n hz]w ^hn¨p! H¶p sbm§n¡jnªm Smjm³ knh½Sn¡p¶ Np®NapÅk^n H^pkWm\v A]mÄ. F{S Sk\ bm`qän]m`pw H¶v- Du¼n¡jnªm bj] N^p¯nt`¡v k^p¶ Np®]m\v Wnt¡mamhv F¶ Wn¡n³s_ Np®. AtSmÀ¯t¸mÄ Kho´]v¡v tUiw fpjpk³ tNm^n¯^n¨p. AkapsX t^mfiÀgw sZ]vhn {l²n¨p. “”F´m f½o, H^p DĸpaNw? B hm]n¸n³s_ Nan HmÀ¯v Nk Wn_¨pw skÅfmt]m?”” “”tbmXo, H¶v-,”” Kho´ Wm\t¯msX S`Smjv¯n. “”At¿m hmt_, Wn¡v hm]n¸mt\ sNmt_ tW^w FXp¡pw. M§¡v ^mkns` Ss¶ tbmN*Sm,”” AkÄ Fw Znt]mXv b_ªp. “”F³s_ Kho´m, C¸w hf]w Fjm]ntÃ? A]mÄ¡v H³bSv f\n¡v tS¡Xn¡v tbmNmWpÅSm. NqXnt¸m]m H^p fp¡m f\n¡qÀ fSn A]mÄ¡v Wns¶. At{Sw tW^w sNm_¨v SymWw NqXn]m fSo¶v Wn³s_ tfmtamXv b_. FXo ssN Wn_¨pw InÃ_ Nn«p¶ GÀ¸mXm tNt«m. sWW¡_n]mtÃm,”” ASv Kho´]v¡v A_n]mw. Njnª Sk\ H^p ^m{Sn]v¡v A]mÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv H^p `£w ^qb]m\v S¶Sv. A¡m^ytfmÀ¯t¸mjpw A]mÄ WÂNp¶ hpOtfmÀ¯t¸mjpw F§sWs]¦n`pw tim«`n sbs«s¶¯n]m fSns]¶m]n^p¶p Kho´]v¡v. bs£ fNapsX emkn]psX {blvWfm\v. ASv fsäÃm hpO§apsX]pw tf`m\v. sbs«¶v- Ss¶ {bemSNrSy§sams¡ WX¯n Kho´]pw sZ]vhn]pw “”U ssiävhn”” t`¡v Ssâ h-vNq«n]n N]_n ]m{S]m]n. h-vNq«n]n “”U ssiävhn”” t`¡v tbmNpt¼mÄ Nmän sZ]vhn]psX h-vNÀ«v D]À¶p sbm§n. B h-vNÀ«v C«t¸mÄ Ss¶ Kho´ kn`¡n]Sm]n^p¶p. NmÂfp«nWv kas^D]^¯n F¯nWn¶n^p¶p. ASv AkapsX skap¯, sNmjp¯ SpXNÄ bp_¯v Nm\pfm]n^p¶p. “”sbm_t¯¡v tbmNp¼w GSm]m`pw sfmt`w sSmtXw Nm\n¡p¶sSm¶pw CX*. koXn³s_ AN¯v F³s_ fp¼n sSm_¶v- Nm\n¡p¶ tbms`]à ASv,”” “”F³s_ f½o, Mm³ GSm]m`pw Wà Np«n]mNm³ tbmNpktÃ? sNm_¨p Unkh§Ä NqXn]tà DÅq f½n? ASv ks^ Mm³ CsSms¡ C¶nt«ms«? f½nt]mXp Mm³ b_ªStà F³s_ hqt¡Xv? F³s_ sfm`s]ms¡ H¶v- fäpÅks^ CWn Nm\n¡m³ bäptN`tÃm f½n. ¹ohv f½n,”” NXpw Ipk¸v Wn_¯n`pÅ Éokvs`hv tXm¸pw N_p¯ h-vNÀ«pw AkapsX ^qb, fmUN ewPns] bp^pg³s_ N®pNÄ¡v Aknhvf^\o]fm] kn^ps¶m^p¡n. C¯^w khv{S§a\nªv bp_¯n_§n]m hwekn¡mkp¶ Npj¸§Ä Kho´]_nªn^p¶p. Nmäv NqXpS`pÅ hf]fm\v. GSp hf]¯pw Nm_nt`m dhnt`m H¶pw h©^n¡m³ hmVyS]nÃ. sbmSpWn^¯n`qsX WX¡pt¼mÄ NmäXn¨m AXn]n V^n¨n^n¡p¶ bm³äohv ks^¡m\pw. tN^aw tbms` sI_p¸¡mÀ HanªptWm«¯nWpw NX¶pbnXn¡p¶SnWpw C{S Np{bhn²n]mÀÖn¨ Ø`¯v, l^o^¯n³s_ fpjp¸pw sS_n¸pw kÃmsS Sp_¶v- Nm\n¡p¶ khv{S§Ä V^n¨mÂ…. F¦n`pw AkÄ ]mIn¡p¶Sv tbms` A§sW tImUv¨t¸mÄ Kho´ h½Sn¡pN]m]n^p¶p. BUyw AkÄ Fw Zn]m] fmÀ«n³ tSmfhn³s_ ko«nt`¡m\v tbm]Sv. tim«`ntWmXv tIÀ¶ H^p tNms¼u*n Ss¶]m]n^p¶p A]mapsX koXpw. em^y tlme A_n]s¸Xp¶ ^mão]¡m^n]m\v. ASpsNm*v fn¡t¸mjpw ko«n Nm\nÃ. fNÄ H^p¯n Fw dn F Njnªv hz´fm]n H^p hvbm]pw W£{Sdyq«nbmÀ`_pw WX¯p¶p. fN³ hz´fm]n {Xmk B³Zv– Xq_nhw ØmbWfp*v. Kho´]pw sZ]vhn]pw sP]näv NX¶t¸mÄ shNyq^nän PmÀZv S§apsX fp`Nans`¡v N®pNÄ b_n¡msS tWm¡p¶Sv AkÀ N*p. “”CknsX sfm¯w H^p N¼n f\w Bs\¶v tSm¶p¶tÃm f½o,”” AkÄ A]mapsX tWm«w N*p b_ªp. “”f½osX sfm` AknsX¯s¶ Ht*m¶v- S¸n tWm¡nt¡. F³s_ tfmt`sX N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv bNpSn GSm*v f½osX bp¶m^ Fw ZosX shNyq^nän¡m^³ sNm*p tbm]n,”” “”Wos]´nWm Npäw b_]ps¶?”” Kho´ sImXn¨p. “”sfm` sfm¯w BÄ¡m^v Nm\n¡m³ tk*n]tà Wo A§Ws¯ ssXäv tXmbv– Cs«¡ps¶? sfmt`sX Ft´m^kmXo sbm_t¯¡v sNX¡ps¶? F¶n«v Ip½m Npäw b_]pt¶m?”” sZ]vhn Kho´s] tWm¡n N®n_p¡n¡m\n¨p. “”Fs¶ sshäXn¨Sv sNmj¸knÃ. tks_ Bt^w Nm\nt¨¡^pSv,”” “”Bt\m? A§sW Bt\m? Cà f½o tks_ Bt^w Nm\n¡nÃ. B bmk¯nsW fm{Sw,”” sZ]vhn Sn^nªv Wn¶v- At¸mjpw S§apsX SXn¨p kn^nª WnSwd§an fnjnNÄ W«n^n¡p¶ shNyq^nän PmÀZnsW tWm¡n N®pNÄ AX¨p Nm\n¨p. A]mÄ sbs«¶v S³s_ bm³_vhn³s_ koÀ¯ fp³emPw Aksa SXkn¡m\n¨p. sZ]vhn ssN¿p]À¯n Swbvhv Abv fp{U Nm\n¨p. “”sly, ssUktf, Cu sb®v–“” Kho´ sZ]vhn]psX ssN bnXn¨p k`n¨p. “”k^p¶pt*m H¶nt§m«v tkPw-“” Du_n¨n^n¨psNm*v sZ]vhn Kho´]psX H¸w WX¶p. ko«n fmÀ«n³ shän]n Im^n¡nX¶v- b{Sw km]n¡pN]m]n^p¶p. H^p Ipk¶ Xo gÀ«pw Wo` dÀfpZ]pfm]n^p¶p tkgw. hmÄ«v B³Zv– sb¸À `p¡v. hpePWm] fVyk]hv¡³. “”FXo Khot´, B^mXo Cu sNm¨v??”” b{Sw Xot¸m]ns`¡v F_nªv fmÀ«n³ shän]n Wn¶v- ImXn Fjpt¶äp. “”Wo b_ª Wn³s_ tfmamt\m? G]v– ASnWp Im³hv CÃ. sWWs¡¶m]m`pw Ct{Sw k`n] tfmsam¶pw Nm\ptk`,”” Aksa AXnfpXn tWm¡ns¡m*v A]mÄ b_ªp. “”tfmÄsX fp¼n sk¨v At{Sw hpOn¸ot^m¶pw tk* tNt«m,”” Kho´ In^n¨p. “”hm_ntWmXv Mm³ Ft´s^ {bmlw b_sª¡p¶p FWn¡v Zn{Pn¡v bYn¡p¶ H^p tfmaps*¶v-,”” A]mÄ H^p sk_n]naNn] In^n In^n¨p. “”Wo hf]w Na]* Kho´,”” A]mÄ sbs«t¶mÀ¯v b_ªp. “”Wn§¡v SymWw NqXm³ tbmNt*? tkPw sIt¶¨pw km,”” “”km tfmsa,”” Kho´ fNtamXv b_ªp. “”Cksat¶¯nWm k^ps¶?”” A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”sNm*ptbmNm³ bän] Ø`s¯¡mt\mXo Wo]nksa knant¨? Wos]¶m Cktaw Nq«n bÅo tbmkmt\m? sNm¨v CksX Wnt¶mapw. Wo tbms]¨pw kmXo,”” “”hm_n³s_ NqsXt]m?”” Kho´ sWän Ipan¨p. “”AsS¶m Mm³ Wn³s_ tfmsa bnXn¨p Sn¶ptkm? H¶v- tbmXo,”” A]mÄ In^n¨psNm*v b_ªp. “”tfman§p kt¶,”” AkÄ fNsa A¸w fmänWnÀ¯n. “”f½n tbmt]¨p km. FWn¡v f½osX bp¶m^ Fw ZosX NqsX Wn¡m³ tbXn H¶pknÃ,”” “”FXo C]mav N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv ssNsk¡m¯ sb®p§anÃ. Wns¶ A]mav…hq£n¡\w,”” “”GSm]m`pw Cu A¦nÄ t_¸v sIt¿zm¶pknÃtÃm,”” “”ASv bns¶…Wo C§sW Fs¶ t_bv sI¿q t_bv sI¿q F¶ ^oSo Wn¶m¸ns¶….”” “”As¸m ASv t_¸v AÃtÃm f½o….f½nt]m¶p tW^w Na]msS tbm]vs¡. F¶n«v tkPw Ct§m«v km. l^n¡v Du¼ns¡mXp¯n«p…l^n¡pw Ntkw sNmtSmw Hs¡ sbman¨p knXÀ¯ns¡mXp¯n«p tkPw k^³ tWm¡v. A¦nanWv Fs¶ t_¸v sI¿msWmÅ ssXw sNmXp¡msS tkPw Ct§m«v k^t\…”” “”F³s_ Cutlmt]…CSptbms` Wm¡nWv FÃnÃm¯ H^p hmVWw….”” Kho´ S`]n ssN sk¨p. “”Mm³ tbmNpkm. f^ymU¡v CknsX C^pt¶m\w,”” Kho´ NX¶ptbm]n. “”F¶SmXo sNmt¨, Wn³s_ f½n b_sª? Fs¶ hq£n¡\w F¶tÃ?”” AkÄ bp©n^n¨p. “”G]v– As§sW H¶pkà A¦nta. A½ tks_ H^p Nm^yw b_ªSm,”” A]mÄ AkapsX fp¼nt`¡v k¶p. “”FXo sbt® Wo Ft¶mXv NÅw b_]Ãv tNt«m,”” sZ]vhn ASnWv D¯^w b_ªnÃ. “”Wo l^n¡pw Khot´sX tfmav Ss¶…Aà Aksa¡mÄ fp´n] I^¡m Wo,’ ASv b_ªv A]mÄ tXm¸nWv fpNan`qsX AkapsX Sp_n¨pWn¶ H^p fp`]n AfÀ¯n sM¡n. “”At¿, Cu A¦nÄ CSv F¶Sm Cu Nm\n¡pt¶?”” A]mapsX ssN d`w bnXn¨p knXpkn¨psNm*v tImUn¨p. “”sk_psS]à f½n b_ªSv tW^m…Mm³ tbmNpkm,”” “”i! Wn¡v sNmt¨,”” A]mÄ kjn kn`¡ns¡m*v b_ªp. “”Wns¶t¸ms` H^p Du¡³ I^¡v CSptbms` sfmt`w sSmtXw Hs¡ Nm\n¨p Wn¶¸w Mm³ N^pSn Wo kÃmsS Nj¨pfp«n Wn¡pkm¶v-, Wn³s_ f½ns]t¸ms`…ASv sNm*m…Aà Wo WÃsNm¨mt\ Mm³ Wns¶ sSmXp¶p tbm`pknÃ. CãknÃmsS MmWmt^w sI¿¯nà tfmsa,”” sZ]vhn AUvepSs¸«p. C]mÄ sNmÅmftÃm. “”F¶m`pw A¦nta sbs«¶v- H^p NX¶m{Nf\w. B^m]m`pw H¶v- tbXn¡¯ntÃ?”” “”ASv l^n-“” A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”B{Nf\w sb«¶m^p¶Sv– sNm*mt\m t{bm»w? A¸w bSps¡ bSps¡ B{Nfn¨m sNmj¸w Cà AtÃ?’ “”B, CWn AtS¸nXn¨p Sq§nt¡m,”” AkÄ In^n¨p. “”Aà tfmsa H^p sZu«v tImUnt¨ms«. Wo]n§sW Ct{Sw fpjp¯ I´ow sfmt`w Hs¡ Nm\n¨v WX¶m M§av bmkw B\p§Ä F¶m sI¿pw?”” “”Nt{*mÄ tk\w A¦nta Nt{*mÄ,’ AkÄ b_ªp. “”M§Ä sb®p§Ä hÂfm³ OmtWw tKm¬ A{dimfntWw Hs¡ gÀ«nXmsS Nm\p¼w Nt{*mÄ sI¿p¶p*tÃm. ASv Wn§¡pw sI¿¯ntÃ?”” “”Ak^v B\p§atÃXo,”” “”ASv l^n-“” AkÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv sImXn¨p. “”sb®p§sX tf¯v¶p C¨ns^ Sp\n fm_n]m B\p§sX Nt{*mÄ sSäpw. B\p§sX tf¯v¶v- sfm¯w Sp\nf_n]m ASv sb®p§Ä N*m Ak^v Nt{*mÄ sSämsS hq£nt¨m\w! Aà A¦nta A¦nav GSv Wqäm*n`m Kokn¡ps¶? Cu knNm^w F¶v- b_]p¶Sv B\p§¡v fm{Stf ssUkw sNmXp¯ns«mtÅm?”” “”C¸js¯ hwekw sk¨mt\ knNm^w F¶v- b_]p¶Sv ssUkw B\p§¡v fmt{S sNmXp¯n«pÅq,”” “”§vti? F¶v- sk¨m?”” “”F¶v- sk¨m…”” A]mÄ knlUoN^n¡m³ SpX§n. “”F¶v sk¨m tfmÄsX sSmtXw Np*ow sfmt`w N*p hin¡m³ k¿msS Mm³ tfmÄsX sfmt` ¸nXn¨p. tfmav CãknÃmsS Fs¶ kn`¡n. F¶v- sk¨m F¶m? knNm^w B\m] FWn¡v fmt{S DÅq, sb®m] sWW¡v Cà F¶tÃ?”” “”Bap sNmÅmtÃm?’ AkÄ In^n¨p. “”Mm³ ho^n]hv B]n b_ªSm,”” A]mÄ dÀfpZ]psX fp¼ns` fpj¸n sM¡n]fÀ¯ns¡m*v b_ªp. “”CsS´m A¦nta F¸jpw C§sW]mt\m?”” dÀfpZ]psX AN¯v sbm§m³ SpX§n] Np®]psX Hu«v– ss`³ tWm¡n AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”F¸jpw CsÃXo,”” A]mÄ bnXnknXmsS b_ªp. “”Wns¶t¸ms` t`mN^weNÄ tf¯v sNmÅm¯ F_¨ow Sq¡n C§sW fp¼n Wn¶m fm{Sw,”” AkÄ fµihn¨p. “”Nm\t\m WnW¡v?”” “”F´v?”” “”Aà Wo N®p b_n¡msS tWm¡pktÃ? sfmO¯mt\ Wà skl¸pw Nm\p¶p*v. F³s_ ssN¿n Wn§av tfmtZ³ bntÅÀ¡v tk* bmhvSm, bnÊm, imwdÀPÀ, hv¸mPän …A§Ws¯ kntUln CWw H¶pknÃ. Wà fpjp¯, WmX³ kaw fm{Skn«pkaÀ¯n] H^p N¸s¡jt§m*v. tkt\m?”” AkÄ Ip*pNÄ WW]v¡p¶Sv A]mÄ N*p. A]mapsX dÀfpZ]psX]N¯v Np® H¶v NqXn sk«n. “”ssf^v-“” A]mÄ S` sIm_nªp. “”Wo]n§sW Ip*p WW¡tà sbt®, MmsW¶m t_mtdm«mt\m?”” A]mÄ H^p IpkXpNqXn AkapsX tWs^ AXp¯psNm*p tImUn¨p. “”Nm\t\mXo sWW¡v F³s_ Np®?”” AkÄ bs£ A]mapsX UrZfm]n ka^p¶ Np®]psX Hu«v–ss`Wn Wn¶v- N®pNÄ fmän]nÃ. A]mÄ sSm«XpSv F¯n]t¸mjpw AkapsX N®pNÄ A]mapsX A^]v¡v fp¼ns` fpj¸n S_¨p Wn¶p. “”Wnt¶mXsÃXo tImUnt¨?'”” A]mÄ AkapsX N®pNant`¡v tWm¡n tImUn¨p. sbs«¶v- A]mapsX ssN D]À¶v- AkapsX h-vNÀ«v fp¼n Wn¶pw sbm¡n. Ipk¶ bm³äohv A]mÄ N*p. ASn³s_ fp¼ns` sNmjp¯ WWkpw. bm³än H^p klt¯¡v fmän A]mÄ Iq*pkn^ WWªv Npjª AkapsX bq_nt`¡v Np¯n. “”Duip …iq ,”” Wn¶ Wn¸n sZ]vhn N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv H^Xn sbm§n. k`n¨q^p¶SnWp fp¼v A]mÄ AkapsX bq_nWpÅn Wm`©pSk\ kn^`n«v l^n¡na¡n. “”Hm, F³s_ A¦nta…F¶m CSv?”” “”F¶mXn?”” kn^ N´ns`¡v fmän A]mÄ tImUn¨p. AtSmsXm¸w A]mapsX ftäss¡ AkapsX fpjp¯ I´n]n`pw bnXnfp_p¡n. “”F¶m H^p bnXp¯km A¦nta,”” “”F¶mXo, tkUWs]Xpt¯m?”” “”tNm¸v…- F¶m hpOn¸n¨m bnXn¡pt¶¶v-,”” A]mapsX kn^`pNÄ N´n l^n¡v Af^¶p^]m³ Nm`pNÄ AN¯ns¡mXp¯psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp. A]mÄ sbs«¶v- Aksa Sn^n¨p WnÀ¯n. bm³äohv Du^n¯mjv¯n Nm fp«n³s_ Smsj sk¨p. F¶n«v NpWnªv Ip*pNÄ AkapsX I´nknXkn AfÀ¯n. PpUUzm^¯n³ tf AfÀ¯n Ipwdn¨p. “”iq….”” hpOmhàn]n AkÄ Np_pNn. knXÀ¶v- fpjp¯ WnSwd§apsX NmjvI A]msa f¯pbnXn¸n¨p. ^*p I´nNan`pw A]mÄ {em´p N]_n]Sptbms` fm_n fm_n Ipwdn¨p. sZ]vhn hpOwsNm*v bpaªp. UoÀQfm], IqXpÅ, Wn]{´\fnÃm¯ ho¡m^ lÐw B iman Wn_ªp. A]mÄ sZ]vhns] A¸w NqXn NpWn¨pWnÀ¯n. AkapsX I´nknXkpNÄ A¸w NqXn]N¯n. Ct¸mÄ fUK`w D_ªn_§n bq_nWv tf N«n]pÅ Bk^\fm]n fm_n]nX¯v A]mÄ Wmkp Wo«n kXn¨p. “”Biv …iq…”” AkapsX lÐw ko*pw D]À¶p.A]mÄ C^pssNNÄ sNm*pw bq_n³s_ bmanNÄ bnXn¨N¯n. Npjª fUK`¯n bq* kn_¡p¶ N´v A]mÄ N*p. Wo* WmkpsNm*v A]mÄ AknsX AfÀ¯n W¡n. “”A¦nta…F³s_ sbm¶¦nsa…”” Ahiyfm] hpOtkP¯n AkÄ bpaªpknan¨p. “”F¶mXo…”” AkapsX N´v SpXs^ W¡n¯pX¡p¶SnWnX]n H^p Wnfngw A]mÄ Ip*pNÄ tkÀsbXp¯n tImUn¨p. “”A¦nta ¹ohv…´nWm WnÀ¯ns]…”” AkÄ tUgyt¯msX tImUn¨p. “”WnÀ¯oSv– AsÃXo,”” A]mÄ sbs«¶v- Aksa fpt¼m«v– Sn^n¨p. shän]nt`¡v NnX¡m³ N®pNÄ sNm*v BwPyw Nm\n¨p. AkÄ f`À¶v NnX¶p. A]mÄ AkapsX Nm`pNÄ AN¯n bnaÀ¯n sk¨p. bns¶ NpWnªv AkapsX t^mf§Ä Wn_ª koÀ¯p´n] bq_nWptf fpOw tIÀ¯p. D_k käm¯ AkapsX bq_v fUK`w SpXÀ¨]m]n Hjp¡ns¡m*n^p¶p. “”Wo km]ns`Xp¡ptkmXo?”” H^p Wnfngw fpOfp]À¯n A]mÄ AktamsX tImUn¨p. “”B sfmtf³änWv Nm¯n^n¡m³ tWm¡o«v tW^w sNm_¨m]n,”” AkÄ A]mtamXv b_ªp. “”Fs¶ {c*n`pw dm¡n`pw Hs¡ CSptbms` hpOn¸n¨n«v A¦nanWv Mm³ S¶ntàssUkw sbm_p¡ptN` tNt«m,”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”Mm³ N^pSn] tbms` AÃtÃmXo N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wo,”” “”A¦nÄ F¶Sm N^pSoSv?”” “”sNm¨p sb®tÃ..NqXnt¸m]m Bt^`pw Hs¡ sfm`¡pw Np*o`pw Hs¡ bnXn¨pNm\pw. CSnt¸m H^p Wmt\mw CÃmsS …Wo F¶sSms¡]m Cu b_]ps¶…tim …h½Sn¨p tfmsa h½Sn¨p…Wo]mXo sb®v-…”” Akapw In^n¨p. “”Fs¶ N*m l^n¡pw sNmt_t¸^v bnjnªqän]Sv tbms` tSm¶qtà A¦nta,”” “”FknXp¶v– Wà s{cgv `p¡mXo. tW^v b_ªSm…Wo l^n¡pw ho`v sbm«m¯ sb®m¶m Mm³ N^pSoSv,”” ASv tN«p hpOw N]_n] fpOt¯msX AkÄ A]msa tWm¡n. “”tWm¡n Wn¡msS B dÀfpZ Hs¡ H¶v- tkPw k`n¨q^n¡a F³s_ A¦nta. F¶n«v sNm*p k¶v- Np¯v B hmVWw F³s_ km]nÂ,”” A]mÄ dÀfpZ Smjv¯n. Woakpw k®kpfpÅ A]mapsX Np® WnkÀ¶v- Wn¶v- kn_¨p. ASv N*v sZ]vhn Ip*pNÄ WW¨p. AkÄ DfnWo^n_¡p¶Sv– A]mÄ N*p. CSv F´v S^w sb®m\v? C^pbSv k]Êv Nm\ptfm CkÄ¡v? F{S Np`oWkpw Unkykpfm\v CkapsX fpOw! bs£ b_]p¶ emg? SWn sS^pkv tklyNapsX! bs£ Cu shuµ^yfpÅ fpO¯v Wn¶v- Wà N¼n emg k^pt¼mÄ S³s_ Np® kÃmsS fp_pNn N¼n]mNp¶p. A]mÄ Np®]n bnXn¨v Sn^p½ns¡m*v AkapsX fpO¯nWv– fpNan Nk¨pWn¶pSmjv¶p. AkapsX Ipk¶ ewPn]pÅ Ip*pNan`qsX SXn¨p Wo* Np® AkapsX IqXpÅ WmknsW]pw DfnWo^nsW]pw hvbÀln¨p. “”im….F³s_ sbt® …tim ….F¶m H^p hpOkmXo,’ A]mÄ N®pNaX¨psNm*v hpO`i^n]n b_ªp. H^p ]{´w tbms` A]mÄNp® AkapsX km]nt`¡v Np¯n¡]än Du^n C_¡n bns¶]pw Np¯ns¡mXp¯psNm*n^p¶p. H^p sskgfytfm, AhzmhvSytfm {bNXn¸n¡msS, b^nInS]m] km]ns`Xp¸pNm^ns]t¸ms` AkÄ B Np® W¡n, Cu¼n, ^pIn¨v, `man¨p A]msa hpOn¸n¨p. “”tfmsa ..k¿ ..bq_nÂ…CWn AknsX tk\sfXo,”” sbs«¶m\v AkÄ HmÀ¯Sv. {bm]fpÅ fWpgyWm\v. F{S tW^fm]n Wn¡p¶p. “”A¦nav CknsX sNX¡v–,”” km]n Wn¶v- A]mÄ Np® FXp¯t¸mÄ Fjpt¶äp. F{S tW^km]n A¦nÄ Ht^ Wn¸v Wn¡p¶p,”” A]mÄ shän]n f`À¶p NnX¶p. sZ]vhn A]mapsX A^s¡«nWp tf , fpNant`¡v tWm¡n kn_]v¡p¶ Np®]psX tf Nm`pNÄ Nk¨pWn¶p. “”Wo Mm³ N^pSn] tbms` AÃtÃm sbt®…At½sW NX¯nsk«qtÃm,”” S³s_ Np®]psX tWs^ Smjv¶p k^p¶ AkapsX A^s¡«ns`¡v tWm¡n A]mÄ b_ªp. sZ]vhn UrZfm]n Np`¨p Wn¶ A]mapsX Np®]psX tf C^p¶p. bSns] A¸m¸fm]n ASv AkapsX bq_nt`¡v N]_nt¸mNp¶Sv A]mÄ S^n¸v bXÀ¶ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv tUit¯msX tWm¡n¡nX¶p. “”F³s_ sbt® …”” A]mÄ hpOw sNm*v lÐfp*m¡n. “”F§sWm*v A¦nta..sNmÅmtkm?”” A]mapsX ssNNsaXp¯v SpÅn¡anNm³ SpX§n] S³s_ C^pfp`Nan`pw bnXn¸n¨psNm*v AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”A¦nta , Np® bq_n`n§sW N]_n]n_§n Nan¡p¼w sfm` ^*pw l^n¡v bnXn¨v sM¡n¯^s\…sfmt`¶v- sk¨m FWn¡v e]¦^ NXnt]mÅ emPkm,”” ssNNÄ ^*pw AkapsX hfr²fm] fp`fmwhw sM¡n]fÀ¯pt¼mÄ A]mÄ HmÀ¯p, Cu sI_n] {bm]¯n Cu sb¬Np«n, NmfN`]n Gäkpw Sj¡kpw bj¡kpfpÅks^t¸m`pw NX¯nsk«p¶ {bNX§Ä WX¯mWpÅ {bko\yw F§sW]m\p hn²n¨Sv–? ASnsW¡mÄ Db^n Ss¶t¸ms`]pÅ H^p kr²Wv hzbvWw Nm\m³ NqXn¡jn]ptfm CSptbms` H^p Nnap´v sb®nsW AWpekn¡mWpÅ t]mPw…”” CX]v¡nsX sZ]vhn AkapsX bq_n t`¡v C_§nt¸m]n bp_¯v k^p¶ Np®]psX h©m^w Nm\m³ N®pNÄ Smjv¯n tWm¡p¶p*m]n^p¶p. ^hw N]_n AkÄ ImXn¯pÅn]Xn¡m³ SpX§n. A]mÄ AkapsX fp`Nan Wn¶v- bnXp¯w kn«p. “”F´v b\n]m A¦nta Nm\nt¨? F´nWm ssNt¿Xps¯?”” “”tfmav ImXn]mXn¡p¼w B sfm` A§sW SpÅn¡an¡p¶Sv Nm\m³,”” “”ASnWmt\m? F¶m l^n¡v SpÅn¡m\n¨p S^mw,”” AkÄ ko*pw ImXn¯pÅm³ SpX§n. fp`NÄ D]À¶pSmjp¶Sn³s_ tkPw NqXn. A]mapsX N®pNÄ fpaNapsX SmÞk¯n S_ªn^n¡p¶Sv AkÄ N*p. CaNn¯pap¼n ImXn¡an¡p¶ S³s_ fp`NapsX NmfewPn N¬NpanÀs¡ N*mhzUn¡p¶Sn AkÄ¡v AenfmWw tSm¶n. A]mapsX N®pNÄ¡v NqXpS S^n¸p\À¯p¶ hpOw WÂNm³ AkÄ NqXpS tkP¯n ImXn]Xn¡m³ SpX§n. tWm¡n BhzUn¨SnWp tlgw S³s_ k`n] b^p¡³ ssN¯`w ko*pw A]mÄ AkapsX fpjp¯ fp`Nant`¡v sNm*p k¶p. “”C¸w Wn³s_ A½s] B bq¨¡®³ hm]n¸v AXn¨q¡pkm^n¡pw, AsÃXo,”” “”fn*mSn^n A¦nta,”” S³s_ fpjp¯fp`Nsa sM^n¡p¶ A]mapsX ssNNÄ¡v tf S³s_ C^pssNNapw sk¨v AfÀ¯ns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp. “”f½osW b_ªpkn«Sv A¦nÄ Ss¶]tÃ, F¶n«m…”” “”MmtWm?”” AXn]n Wn¶v- làn]m]n fpNant`¡v A^s¡«v AXn¨p D]À¯ns¡m*v A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”bn¶ÃmsS, A¦nÄ f½n¡v tcm¬ sI]vSv b_ªsSms¡ MmWpw tN«p A¦nta…F¶n«m…”” “”§vti?”” A]mÄ AUvepSs¸«p. “”A¸w…? Wn§av l^n¡pw f½ow tfmapw AsÃXo? Ct{Sw Hm¸³ B]n N¼ns]ms¡ sg]À sI¿p¶ At½w tfmtaw Mm³ N*n«nÃ,”” “”F¶m]m`pw At½sX Nm^yw b_ª¸tj N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv A¦nan³s_ Np® H¶pw NqXn F³s_ bq_nWm¯v H¶v- fp_pNn…iiiiv .”” AkapsX A^s¡«na¡w H¶v NqXn {bIÞfm]n. “”Wo Fs¶¯nWm sbt® Cu tNm¸ns` SymW¯nsWms¡ tbmNps¶? CWow Nj¸v Nq«mWmt\m? H^p fmSn^ns¸« B\p§s¡m¶pw fmäm³ H¡ptN` Wn³s_ Nj¸v…F¶n«m…-“” b^hvb^w l^o^w Nq«nfp«n¡p¶Sn³s_ tkPw ASn So{kfm]n. {ef\ fmÀ¤¯n Wn¶v- ASnlàfm]n HmXn]Xp¯v b^hvb^w Nq«n]nXn¡p¶ {Pi§sat¸ms` bq_pw Np®]pw sNm¼ptNmÀ¯p. kn]À¸n`pw Nmf¯n`pw bpSª, fpXn]njNÄ ko\p f_ª AkapsX fpOt¯¡v A]mÄ bSªp]^p¶ knNm^t¯msX tWm¡n. SmWnSv ks^ fäm^n Wn¶pw C{S So{kfm] ^SnhpOf_nªn«nà F¶v- A]mÄ¡v tSm¶n. CSpks^ Kho´]v¡m\v Sm³ NqXpS fmÀ¡v WÂNn]n^p¶sS¦n C¶v- AkapsX fNÄ B ØmWw Sn^p¯n]n^n¡p¶p. H^p f\n¡q_nWp tlgw Kho´ fX§nk¶t¸mÄ fmÀ«n³ bj]Sp tbms` b{Sw km]n¨psNm*v thmc]n Im^n]n^n¡pN]m]n^p¶p. “”§vim, Wo kt¶m?”” Aksa¡*v b{Sw fp¼ns` Xot¸m]ntf sk¨v A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”sZ]vhn F´nt],”” Ipäpw tWm¡n AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”Aksa Nm¡sNm¯ns¡m*p tbm]n,”” A]mÄ sPu^k¯n b_ªp. “”F¶Sm hms_?”” Ah´pãnt]msX Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”b_]ps¶, F´nt] tfmav?”” “”MmWksa Sn¶pNaªns«m¶pknsÃXo,”” sPu^kw fmän A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”B fp_o H*v. H_¡km,”” A]mÄ fp¼ns` AXª fp_n]nt`¡v Iq*n b_ªp. “”H_¡tkm!”” Kho´ sWän Ipan¨p. “”ASnWkav C¶s` ^m{Sn l^ns¡m_§oSm\tÃm… !”” “”AsSm¶pw FWn¡_n]mt½`m,”” AXª kmSn`nWp tWs^ Kho´ Wo§tk fmÀ«n³ b_ªp. “”AsSms¡ tbms«…hm]n¸nWv bq_p sNmXp¯n«v F¶m Nn«oXo?”” A]mapsX tImUyw AkP\n¨v AkÄ NSNv Sp_¶p. lm´kpw PmZkpfm] D_¡¯n`m\v fNÄ F¶v- AkÄ N*p. AkapsX fpOw hwl]bqÀ®fm]n. AkÄ tUgy¯nÂ, tImUy^qb¯n fmÀ«nsW tWm¡n. A]mÄ NphrSn¡®pNtamsX Sn^n¨pw. “”Upã³-“” AkÄ A^nlt¯msX b_ªp. “”F³s_ sNm¨nsW…F³s_ sNm¨nsW sI]vSp AtÃ…knlzhn¨v F¸n¨n«v tbm]Stà Mm³?”” AkapsX N®pNÄ Wn_]p¶Sv A]mÄ N*p. “”F³s_ Kho´m…”” A]mÄ AkapsX tWÀ¡Xp¯p. bns¶ AkapsX N®pNapsX tWÀ¡v kn^ D]À¯n N®pWo^v SpX¨pNa]m³ {lfn¨p. bs£ Kho´ A]mapsX ssN S«nfmän. “”Kho´ Mm³ Wn³s_ sNm¨n³s_ tWs^ H^p d`{bt]mtPmw N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv WX¯oÃ. FXo Wos]´nWm C{S Abvshämkps¶? sNm¨nWv Wà Nj¸mXo…F³äXp¯tÃ…ASpsNms*¶m…? tks_ fnhyqshm¶pw H*m]nÃtÃm….”” Aksa hm´zWn¸n¡mWn¶tbms` A]mÄ Aksa A^s¡«nWp Ipän¸nXn¨p. “”AsSms¡ tbms« Kho´…Wos]³s_ fp¯sÃXo….b_ hm]n¸v F¶m S¶p,”” A]mapsX N^p¯v Wn_ª bnXp¯¯n AkÄ {bhmUn¨p. AkapsX fpO¯v `Ö Wn_ªp. B `Ö A]msa ko*pw knNm^knklWm¡n. ssN fpNant`¡v sNm*pk¶v- A]mÄ AkapsX k`n] fp`]n hm^n¡p fpNan`qsX bnXn¨p bSns] St`mXn]fÀ¯n. ftäss¡ FXp¯p S³s_ dÀfpZ]psX fpj¨psbm§n] emP¯v AfÀ¯n¸nXn¸n¨p. “”b_ fpt¯..tbm]Sv sk_psS B]nÃtÃm, Atà ?”” “”CÃ, A¼Sv Nn«n,”” A]mapsX fpj¸n bnXn¨v sM^n¨v AkÄ `ÖknXmsS b_ªp. “”Bt\m,”” fp`]ns` bnXn fp_p¡n A]mÄ {bhmUn¨p tImUn¨p. “”ASv sNmÅmtÃm. F¶n«v FWn¡v N½og³ CsÃXo?”” “”F{S]m N½og³?”” “”ASnt¸m …”” A]mÄ NphrSnt]msX Bt`mIn¡p¶Sv tbms` AenW]n¨p. “”N½og³..ASn¸w Nmlm]n«v Ss¶ tk\w Fs¶m¶pfnÃ…”” “”Dw ..Dw…CSptbms` H^p {bm´³….b¨¡^n¼v tbm`s¯ H^p N¶ns¸®nsW C¸w k`n¨qän NpXn¨tS]pÅq….FWn«pw Cu sb^pwNp®]v¡v F¶m H^p NÃn¸m…”” dÀfpZ]v¡v bp_¯pNqXn A]mapsX Np®s] ko*pw l^n¡v bnXn¨v sM^n¨psNm*v AkÄ A]mapsX N®pNant`¡v tWm¡n b_ªp. “”H^^ f\n¡qÀ…sZ]vhn G¡p¶ tW^w ks^. Nm^yw tfmav fmN-vhnfw Duän FXp¯p. F¶m`pw At½¶v- tN«m Cu Np® A§v ImXn F\o¡pw F³s_ Khot´. ASvsNm*v H¶v- h½Sns¡Xo,”” Ip^nUm_nsâ fpNan`qsX A]mÄ AkapsX SpXNÄ tI^p¶nXw AfÀ¯n sM¡n. “”h½Sn¨ntÃ`pw Nm^yfnÃtÃm,”” AkÄ In^n¨p. “”Fs¶ tk\¶v- fWÊn H_¸n¨m¸ns¶ Fs¶ sI¿msS bn·m_ptkm hm_v?”” AkÄ In^n¨p. “”F³s_ Khot´ C§sW In^n¡msSXo,”” Aksa k`n¨v thmc]ns`¡n«psNm*v A]mÄ b_ªp. hzbvWfm\v F¶m\v sZ]vhn N^pSn]Sv. D_¡¯n³s_ hpOWnfng§an`qsX NX¶ptbmNsk sZ]vhn knIm^n¨p. NmXpNÄ sM^nªf^p¶p. f^¨nÃNÄ AXÀ¶p sbm«p¶p. f`fpNan Wn¶v- k`n] bm_¡g\§Ä Smtj¡v D^p*n_§n k^p¶p. hzbvWw In`t¸mÄ lÐ§Ä fm{Stf Nm\n¨pS^nN]pÅq. Urly§Ä AN¶p Wn¡pw. A¯^w H^p hzbvWfm\nSv. H¶pw Nm\m³ bäp¶nÃ. lÐ§Ä tNÄ¡m³ bäp¶pfp*v. sM^nªp sbm«p¶ lЯnWnX]n H^p hv{So]psX Wn`knan lÐkpw AkÄ hzbvW¯n tN«p. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv tkUWsNm*v Wn`knan¡pN]m\v. f`fpNan Wn¶pw D^p*n_§nk¶ k`n] bm_¡g\§Ä HmÀ hv{So]psX tUit¯¡v Bt\m ko\Sv? f^§an Wn¶v- InÃNÄ HXnªp ko\Sv Ak^psX tUit¯¡v Bt\m? A§sW tSm¶n sZ]vhn¡v Wn`knan SpXÀ¶p tN«t¸mÄ. Wn`knan¡p¶ hv{Sos] Nm\\w F¶v- sZ]vhn¡v tSm¶n. sbs«¶v- hzbvW¯nt` lЯnWv tks_m^p emkfm\v DÅsS¶v- AkÄ¡v tSm¶n. hpOUm]Nfm] lÐfm\v. hzÀ¤o]fm], Aseuffm] hpOfWpekn¡p¶ H^p hv{So]psX lÐw. B^psX lÐfm\v? FknXp¶m\v B lÐw S³s_ hzbvW§ant`¡v NX¶pk^p¶Sv? ASv NqXpS kyàfm]n tNÄ¡pkm³ sZ]vhn N®pNÄ Sp_¶p. BUyw H¶pw fWÊn`m]nÃ. Sm³ FknsX]m\v NnX¡p¶sS¶v tbm`pw. fpNan fimP\n]n SoÀ¯ f¨v. en¯n]n {blhvS^psX kn`NqXn] In{S§Ä…. Ct¸mjpw B lÐw tNÄ¡p¶p*v. H^p hv{So]psX hpO`i^n]n NpSnÀ¶ lÐw. Ct¸mÄ hv{So]psX lЯnWp tft` H^p bp^pglÐkpw tNÄ¡mw. hpOw sNm*p Af_n¯nfÀ¡p¶, SWn¡v In^b^nInSfm] bp^pglÐw. sSm«Xp¯ fp_n]n Wn¶v-. AknsX B^m\v. “”U ssiävhv”” ³s_ Fw Zn fmÀ«n³ B fp_n]n sk¨m\v– Np_¨p hf]w fp¼v Ss¶ NmfhpO¯n³s_ ssW WUn NX¯n]Sv. A]mam\v B fp_n]n DÅSv. A]mtamsXm¸w H^p hv{So]p*v. sZ]vhn AUvepSs¸«p. Cu {bm]¯n`pw fmÀ«nWv C{S ÌmfnWt]m? tks_ B^m]n^p¶m`pw H^p Bt_jpf\n¡qÀ F¦n`pw SaÀ¶p_§mSn^n¡nÃ.A{S lm^o^nN AVzmWfm\v A]mÄ S³s_ tUi¯v WX¯n]Sv. F¶n«nt¸mÄ tks_ H^phv{Sot]msXm¸w Nmf¯n³s_ sNmXpfpXn N]_ns¡m*n^n¡p¶p. In`t¸mÄ A]mÄ B]n^n¡nÃ. A]mapsX Nq«pNmt^m ftäm B]n^n¡mw. sk_psS H¶v- tWm¡n]mt`m? tk*. tfmlfm\v. kas^ hzNm^yS B{Pin¨psNm*m]n^n¡pw AkÀ ^Sn^hw Wp\ªpsNm*n^n¡p¶Sv. fäpÅk^psX hzNm^yS]nt`¡v k`nªpN]_n sIÃp¶Sv– At§]äw tfmlfm\v. A§sW hz]w lmhn¨p Wn]{´n¡m³ {lfns¨¦n`pw sZ]vhn NnX¡]n Wn¶v- Fjpt¶Â¡pNSs¶ sI]vSp. DX]mXNÄ km^ns]Xp¯v, tUi¯nsâ Wnfvt¶m¶SnNÄ A`hSt]msX f_¨v AkÄ Im^n]n«n^p¶ kmSn`nt`¡v Wo§n. bSns] ASn`qsX ANt¯¡v tWm¡n. tks_ B^pfÃ, fmÀ«n³ Ss¶]m\v Wm]N³ F¶v- AkÄ N*p. A]mÄ A¸w Sp_¶v- NSNn`qsX ANt¯¡v tWm¡p¶ SWn¡v AenfpOfm]m\v. A]mapsX d`fpÅ l^o^¯nWv Nosj Nm`pNÄ sbman¨pknXÀ¯n, Wo* S`fpXn NnX¡]n knXÀ¯n¸_¯n H^p hpµ^n f`À¶pNnX¡p¶p. fmÀ«n³s_ N^p¯pä sW©v AkapsX Sp_n¨psbm§n] Nqä³ fp`Nan sM^nªv– N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AfÀ¶n^n¡p¶p. frPo]fm], N^p¯pw làn]pw sk_n]pw A´fnÃm¯ Bhàn]pw NqXn¸n\ª H^p temP^wPfm\v Ct¸mÄ S³s_ fp¼nÂ. fmÀ«n³ A^s¡«p]À¯pt¼mÄ A]mapsX Nm^n^p¼n³s_ UrZS]pÅ Np® AkapsX sbm§n]p]^p¶ A^s¡«nt`¡v, bq_nt`¡v AfÀ¶pNp¯nWn_]p¶Sv sZ]vhn N*p. I´nNÄ AhmVm^\ tkP¯nÂ, Sma¯n sbm¡n]p]À¯n AkÄ A]mapsX frPo]d`fpÅ Np®s] AhiyhpOt¯msX hzoN^n¡pN]m\v. B^m\v B emPykSn? sZ]vhn bp©n^nt]msX tImUn¨p. B Wnfngw fmÀ«n³ S³s_ IqXpÅ N®pNapsX hm¶nVyw fWÊn`m¡n]Sv sZ]vhn N*p. A]mÄ fpOw Sn^n¨v sZ]vhns] tWm¡n. AkÄ bp©n^nt]msX k`SpssN]ns` sb^pkn^ D]À¯n Swbvhv Abv fp{U Nm\n¨p. sZ]vhn]psX N®pNant`¡v tWm¡ns¡m*v A]mÄ S³s_ tUi¯nWXn]n NnX¡p¶ sb®nsW BªptemPn¡m³ SpX§n. A]mapsX N®pNan kWyfm], frPo]fm] H^p emkw sZ]vhn N*p. Ct¸mÄ A]mapsX tkPS, So{kSv, s{Nu^yw, frPo]S Hs¡ ASntkPfm]n. N®pNans` Srgv\]psX SoWmaw kÀVn¨ tkP¯n Ban¡¯m³ SpX§n. ASWph^n¨v AXn]n NnX¶v- {b\]fj Gäpkm§p¶ sb®n³s_ hpOlÐkpw NqXn. hpOw AkapsX lЯn BhnZv tbms` N¯n¸X^m³ SpX§n. GSm\v B emPykSn? sZ]vhn ko*pw A tImUyw hz]w tImUn¨p. At¸mÄ B sb®n³s_ Wn`knan]psX lÐw kas^ D¨¯n`m]n. AkapsX A^s¡«n³s_ Smakpw fp_pNn. AkapsX DX D¸pWo^n ko\ f®n^s]t¸ms` bnXªp. “”HmHmHmHmHmHmHmHm BimAimBivivi …..At½ …..hmt_..hmt_ …F³s_ hmt_….”” A]mapsX A`À¨]pw So{kS^fm]n. A]mapsX A^s¡«pw bnX]m³ SpX§n. frPo]fm] s{Nu^yt¯msX A]mÄ Np®BkapsX bq_n Wn¶v- Du^ns]Xp¯p ko*pw BªpNp¯n. bqÀ®fm]n ko*pw Du^pN]pw ko*pw bq_nsW SNÀ¡p¶ ko^yt¯msX BªpNp¯pN]pw sI]vSp. At¸msjms¡ A]mapsX N®pNÄ sZ]vhn]psX N®pNan S_ªn^p¶p. C^pk^psX]pw l^o^§Ä H^p Wr¯¯ns`¶tbms` SnfÀ¯pkn_¡pN]pw Wnfng§tamaw ASv SpX^pN]pw bns¶ WnÝ`fmkp`]pw sI]vSp. At¸mÄ A]mapsX kn]À¸n bpSª hv{So l^o^w S`]p]À¯n kmSn¡t`¡v tWm¡n. sZ]vhn AUvepSs¸«p. “”A¼Xn NÅn….CSv Wo]m]n^p¶p, AtÃ?”” fmÀ«n³s_ Nojn At¸mjpw hpOw sNmÅp¶ Kho´s] tWm¡n sZ]vhn bp©n^nt]msX D^pkn«p. Kho´]psX fpOw `ÖsNm*p Wn_ªp. fNsa¡*v AkÄ A]mapsX AXn]n Wn¶v- fp`]pw bq_pw f_¨pbnXn¨v ImXns]jpt¶äp Wn`¯p NnX¶ Ip^nUmÀ tXm¸pw tdm«kpsfXp¯v dm¯v_qfnt`¡v HmXpN]pw sI]vSp.

Kho´]pw N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv sZ]vhn]pw tim«`n³s_ PmÀZ³s_ fp¼ns` scu*³s_ hfobw tdmssP³ knÃ]psX Nosj Nm_pw {bSo£n¨v Wn¶p. dÊn tbmNmWm\v Kho´ BUyw ¹m³ sI]vSSv. fmÀ«n³ bs£ ASntWmXv h½Sn¨nÃ. “”dsÊs`m¶pw tbmN*,”” A]mÄ tUgys¸«p b_ªp. “”k*ns]ms¡ Mm³ GÀ¸mXm¡os«m*v. sWW¡v W½sX gmcosW A_o¯ntÃ? Ak³ C¸w H^p hzncväpw FXpt¯m*v k^pw. Wn§am scu*³s_ fp¼nt`m«p Wnt¶m. Ak³s_ km¸ N*m {blvWkm. ASpsNm*v Ak³ Ct§m«v k*ntNä¯nÃ…”” gmcn]psX km¸ AÐpÄOmUÀ “”U ssiävhn”” ³s_ As¡u*v knemP¯n`m\v tKm`n. “”SymWskms¡ Wo Ft´s^ tkt\`pw NqXnt¡m”” tbmNm³ tW^w fmÀ«n³ sZ]vhnt]mXv b_ªp. “”WÃSm, ssUk knImt^mw ssUkct]mw. bs£ sbm¶ptfmsa Wo H^pNm`¯pw fmWhm´^s¸«v F³s_ Np®sX {bm¡v fm{Sw km§nt¨¡^pSv tNt«m,”” AkapsX I´nNan bnXn¨v sM^n¨v A]mÄ U]Wo]] hz^¯n b_ªp. A]mÄ bns¶ Kho´]psX tSman ssN sk¨p. “”Wns¶¸än FWn¡v tkk`mSn H¶pknà Kho´. Wos]³s_ fp¯tÃ?”” A¸w Njnªv H^p skap¯ hzncväv At§m«pk^p¶¯kÀ N*p. gmcn]à ss{Zkv sI¿p¶Sv. tks_ GtSm H^p b¿Wm\v. C^pbSv k]hn NqXnà AkWv. gmcn]pw {bm]wsNm*p GNtUlw sZ]nhn¡v H¸fm]n^p¶p. S³s_ {bn] hpir¯p¡ans`m^mam] A{co³s_ fNWm\k³. N*m AWn]¯n{bmkn AenW]n¡pt¼mjpÅ Np©mt¡m tdmd³s_ SWn¸NÀ¸m\v. ss{Zkv sI¿p¶ Ak³s_ Nq«pNm^sW Sm³ CSpks^]pw N*n«nÃ. “”CSv A{co³ B³äosX gmcn]tà f½o?”” sZ]vhn tImUn¨p. “”AtS, Dw?”” AkapsX hz^¯nt` BËmUw Sn^n¨_nªv ^hn¡m¯ f«n Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”F³s_ f½n MmWksW sNm¶v N_nsk¡msWm¶pw tbmNp¶nÃ. Ip½m tImUns¨t¶]ptÅ…-!”” NmÀ Ak^psX]Xp¯v Wn¶t¸mÄ gmcn AUvepSt¯msX Kho´s] tWm¡n. “”§vti?”” Ak³ V^n¨n^p¶ NqanwPv ¥mhv Smjv¯n tImUn¨p. “”fmÀ«n³ hm_v k*ow sNm*p k^m³ b_ªSv Kho´m³än¡v tk*n B^pt¶m?”” “”AsS¶mXm gmcn, hm_v bns¶ tks_ BÀ¡m¶m b_ªSv?”” “”hm_v k*ow sNm*v k^m³ b_ªSv……”” SpXÀ¶v- b_]m³ {lfn¡msS Ak³ WnÀ¯n. Ak³s_ fpOw Wm\w sNm*p Ipk¡p¶Sv AkÀ N*p. Ad²w bän]Sptbms` Ak³ Ak^n Wn¶v- tWm«w fmän. “”F´m tfmtW?”” Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”G]v–…H¶pknÃ…H¶pknà Bâo,”” Ak³ I½Â fm_msS b_ªp. “”AsS gmco..CknsX MmWpw NqXn D*v tNt«m,”” sZ]vhn N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv b_ªp. sbs«¶v- gmcn Aksa tWm¡n. ss{ZknwPv hoän`pÅ sI_p¸Nm^³ Aks^ ^*ptbs^]pw fm_n fm_n tWm¡pN]m]n^p¶p. “”F³s_ At½-“” gmcn S`]n ssN sk¨p. “”FXo …sZ]vhn- bXt¨msW…CSv Wo]m^pt¶mXo-“” ASn^nÃm¯ AUvepSt¯msX Ak³ tImUn¨p. “”bns¶ Wo]m^m¶mXm knIm^ns¨?”” “”F³s_ Bâo..CSv fq¶m_tÃ? CknsX fUm½fms^s]ms¡ Nm\p¶Sv hmVm^\]tÃ? FXo sZ]vhn ..Mm³ hSyfm]pw N^pSns] GtSm fUm½ Kho´ BâosX NqsX Wn¡p¶Sm¶m…”” Ak³ Aks^ C^pks^]pw fm_nfm_ntWm¡n. “”Aà ..C§sW kjos`ms¡ Wn¶v- hwhm^n¨m ftSym?”” ss{ZknwPv hoän`n^p¶ sI_p¸¡m^³ b_ªp. “”Wfp¡v f\n¡q_pNÄ sNX¡pktà kÀ¯mWw b_]m³? Wn§av tN_ps¶,”” A]mÄ ko*pw b_ªp. “”ASv l^n]m\tÃm,”” gmcn]pw In^n¨psNm*p b_ªp. B³_n s{c*n C^pt¶m,”” gmcn Kho´t]mXv b_ªp. “”MmWpw sZ]vhn]pw sbm_Nn C^pt¶mamw. FWn¡o k«ptNhntWmXv sNmt_ kÀ¯mWw b_]mWp*v,”” “”k«vtNhv Wn³s_ km¸,”” sNmªWw Nm\n¨psNm*v sZ]vhn b_ªp. AkÄ AN¯p N]_m³ Nm D]À¯n]t¸mÄ h-vNÀ«v D]À¶v-, SXn¨, sNmjp¯, klyfmUNSzfpÅ SpXNÄ fpjpk³ gmcn]pw ss{ZknwPv hoän`n^p¶ sI_p¸¡m^Wpw Nm\p¶Sv Kho´ N*p. SpXNÄ fm{SfÃ, bq_nSapNsa NãvXn¨p f_]v¡p¶ AkapsX Ipk¶ bmâv_n]pw ASn³s_ kl§an bp_t¯¡v Wo*v t^mf§apsX Aä§apw AkÀ N*p F¶v- Kho´ A_nªp. ASv N*SnWp tlgw B^pw Nm\p¶nà F¶v- N^pSn ss{ZknwPv hoän`n^p¶ sI_p¸Nm^³ A^s¡«n AfÀ¯p¶Spw AkÄ N*p. “”Wos]¶Sm tfmsa Cu b_sª?”” sZ]vhn gmcn]psX AXp¯v C^p¶p Njnªv Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”Bâv_n¡v hz´w tfmsa¡p_n¨v A_n]mt½`mªn«m,”” NmÀ In^n¨psNm*p gmcn b_ªp. “”CsSm¶pkÃ…km sSm_¶m Wà AÊ sshhv tkZvhv Hs¡]m Ckav M§tamXv b_ªpsNm*n^ps¶,”” “”N\¡m]nt¸m]n,”” sZ]vhn ko*pw Ak³s_ tWs^ sNmªWwNp¯n Nm\n¨p. “”F¸jpw SÃpw AXow kj¡pw H*m¡n WX¶ Wns¶ Mm³ bns¶ Wt^{µ tfmUo¶v knan¡\m^pt¶m? Aà bns¶-“” FÃmk^pw In^n¨p. gmcn]psX ssN AkapsX sIkn]psX tWs^ Wo*p. “”f½o!”” sZ]vhn H¨]n«p. “”tUs*, Ck³ F³s_ sIkn¡v bnXn¡m³ k^pNm. f½n CksX C^pt¶m. Atà tNmt« sIÃp¼w VymWw tNÄ¡m³ FWn¡v sIkn Nm\ptN`,”” “”§vti! Wn§av sNmt«Â VymWw NqXm³ tbmNpkmt\m?”” gmcn N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AUvepSs¸«p tImUn¨p. “”A¸w ASnWp fm{Sw bmbw Hs¡ Wo sI]vSn«pt*mXo?”” “”Wos]ms¡]tà gmco Nq«pNm^v?”” sZ]vhn tImUn¨p. “”A¸w bmbw sI¿msS F§sW Kokn¡pw? Wq_p sNm`bmSNw. A³bSv tfmg\w. A_pbSv AXnbnXnt¡hpNÄ…F´m Ct{Sw tbms^?”” “”A§Ws¯ bmbw Hs¡ BÀ¡p tN¡\w?”” ss{ZknwPv sI¿p¶ sI_p¸¡m^³ B\v ASv b_ªSv. BhzUn¨p In^n¨psNm*m\v A]mÄ ASv b_ªSv. “”bns¶ F§Ws¯ bmbfm tI«Wv tNÄ¡t*?”” sZ]vhn sbs«¶v- tImUn¨p. “”Ss¶t¸ms`]pÅ hpµ^n¸ntÅ^v sI¿p¶ tks_]pw bmb§Ä D*tÃm,”” ASv b_ªv Ak³ Kho´s] tWm¡n. “”Cu sI_p¡³ sNmav`mtÃmXm gmco..”” Kho´ Aen{bm]s¸«p. “”GSmXm Ck³? CSnWv fp¼v N*n«nÃtÃm?”” “”At¿m Bâv_n¡v {lo^mKnsW A_n]ntÃ? W½sX In{S BâosX tfmWm…”” ASn^nÃm¯ knhvf]t¯msX Kho´ {lo^mKnsW tWm¡n. “”Cutlmt]-“” AkÀ S`]n ssN sk¨p. “”F³s_ tbm¶pNp«m…Bân Wns¶ Sn^n¨_nªnÃtÃmXm. Wns¶ Ft´m^w FXpt¯m*v WX¶n«pÅSm Mm³….Wos]§m*v dmw¥qÀ Hs¡ AÃm^pt¶mXm?”” In{S]pw A{coWpw Kho´]psX Dä hpir¯p¡Ä B\v. AkÀ¡nX]n ^ihy§Ä CÃ. Ct¸mjpw b^hvb^w him]n¨pw Sm§pfm]n AkÀ WmanSpks^ Njnªp. fq¶m_ns` {blhvS Wn]fhim] ØmbWfm] ftilzÀ AtÊmÊnt]ävhns` Iocv B] ftilz^³ k¡o`n³s_ Hmcohv sh{N«_n]m\v A{co³. In{S fq¶m_ns` H^p _nthmÀ«ntWmXv AWpdÔfm]n H^p hvbm WX¯p¶p. eÀ¯mkv im^nh¬ Xo FtÌäns` AÊn̳äv fmtWKÀfm^ns`m^mÄ. “”F³s_ B³äo At¶^w FXpt¯m*v WX¶n«p*v F¶v- b_ªn«v Ft´`pw {bt]mKWwt*m? B³äosX FXp¸n³s_ hpOw ktÃmw A¶_n]m³ bäot«mt*m? AS_n]t\ C¸w FXp¡\w,”” {lo^mKv In^n¨p. “”FXs]X…”” Kho´ In^n¨psNm*v Ak³s_ sIkn¡v bnXn¡m³ {lfn¨p. {lo^mKv sIkn AN¯nfmän]nsöv- fm{SfÃ, AkapsX bnXp¯w Nn«m³ sIkn AkapsX ssN]psX AXpt¯¡v AXp¸n¡pN tbm`pw sI]vSp. “”dw¥qÀ Hs¡ tbm]n Wn¶v- sI¡³ N*fmWw kgav Hs¡ bYn¨p. Int{SsW MmsWm¶v Nm\s«,”” AkÄ Ak³s_ sIkn tkUWn¸n¡msS bnXn¨p Sn^p½n. “”Mm³ Ip½m b_ªSÃ,”” H^p kakp Sn^n¨psNm*v {lo^mKv b_ªp. “”Bâv_n F³s_ Nt¿t`s¡m¶p tWm¡nt¡…”” Ak³ CXSp ssN]p]À¯n Kho´s] Nm\n¨p. “”Nt*m t^mf§Ä Fjpt¶äp Wn¡ps¶…? F§sW hwekn¨p CSv…B³äv_n]psX hpµ^fm] kn^ hvbÀltfäv…”” BUyw N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv A^pSm]vN tSm¶ns]¦n`pw Kho´¡v Ak³s_ km¡pNÄ DÅn A¸w ^hw knS_n. Nnap´pb¿Wm\v. ASn hpµ^Wm\v. dw¥qÀ tbms`s]ms¡]pÅ k³ tNmhvtfmtbman«³ WP^¯n Wn^kVn sb¬Np«nNsa N*kWm\v. AkWm\v S³s_ kn^ÂhvbÀl¯n tNm^n¯^n¨p F¶v- b_]p¶Sv…- CSn¸^w F´v AwPoNm^fm\v tk*Sv? AkÄ¡v AenfmWkpw A¸w Ai´]pw tSm¶n. “”{lo^mKv f½osW l^n¡v hpOn¸n¡pkm\tÃm…f½nsX S` C¸w BNmlw fp«n,”” sZ]vhn knan¨pb_ªp. “”Wn³s_ St`w Mm³ BNmlw fp«n¸n¡mw,”” gmcn sZ]vhnt]mXv b_ªp. “”Bâv_n Nm\n¨tbms` F³s_ sIknt] Wo]pw bnXn¡v. At¶^w MmWpw b_ªv Wns¶ hpOn¸n¡mw. Wn³s_ S` BNmlw fp«ptkw sI¿pw,”” “”Mm³ Wn³s_ sIknt] AÃ, CknsX]m bnXn¡ps¶,”” AkÄ ssN]p]À¯n Ak³s_ fq¡v bnXn¨pAfÀ¯n Sn^p½n. “”iq …Hm ..iqhv …At½,”” gmcn AkapsX ssN knXpkn¨p. “”Ct{Sw tW^w sbm§nWn¶ t^mfw sfm¯w Sm¶p tbm]n …F³s_ Bâo Cksa kà frPlmt“pw sNm* knXv. Ak^v Wà ssbhm S^pw. sNm^§¯n- F¶m bnXp¯km^ps¶Xo…?”” fq¡n hz]w Sn^p½ns¡m*v gmcn b_ªp. fq¡n bnXn¡m³ tk*n tIÀ¶n^p¶Sn³s_ c`fm]n gmcn]ptX]pw AkaptX]pw SpXNÄ tIÀ¶fÀ¶n^p¶p. AkÀ ^*ptb^pw AN¶pfm_n]n^p¶nÃ. bp_¯v tS]n`NmXpNapsX AseufewPn Ipäpw Wn_ªp. NmÀ Sqk`nsWt¸ms` em^fnÃmsS Wo§pN]m\v. “”At{Sw tW^km]n«pw Wn³s_ t^mfw fmt{S sbm§ns]mtÅm?”” {lo^mKv tImUn¨p. gmcn I½ns]¦n`pw Ak³s_ b^mfÀlw Kho´]n`pw sZ]vhn]n`pw H^p tUgykpw D*m¡n]nsöv- fm{SfÃ, AkÀ bp©n^n¡pN]m\v sI¿p¶sS¶v- Ak³ N*p. ASv {lo^mKv HanN®n«p tWm¡p¶Spw gmcn N*p. “”t^mfw sbm§p¶tbms` tks_ emPw sbm§p¶ Nm^yw b¨¡v A§sW b_]m³ bäptkm {lo^msK?”” Ak^psX km¡pNÄ Kho´]n sI_n] H^p sNm^n¯^n¸p*m¡n. Wà Af_³ N¼n]m\v bntÅÀ b_]p¶Sv. S³s_ fNapsX {bm]fpÅ Np«nNÄ. S³s_ DäNq«pNm^psX f¡Ä. F§sW BhzUn¡pw? “”F§sW tks_ emtPmw sbm§m*n^n¡pw?”” {lo^mKv SpXÀ¶p. “”Wà sbmÅp¶ IqXv Atà sWW¡v Nn«ps¶?”” gmcn sZ]vhn]psX fpO¯v tWm¡n. AkÄ `Öt]msX BksW Sn^n¨ptWm¡n. “”bns¶ F¶v- sk¨m Wo]knsX S\p¯v sk_¨p C^n¡pktÃ? BâosX IqXpw AXn¨v C^n¡pktà Wo]pw?”” ASv tN«t¸mÄ sZ]vhn Ak³s_ SpX]n WpÅn. Ak³ H¶v- hwl]n¨v AkapsX WPvWfm] SpX]n Sn^n¨p WpÅn. AkÄ {bSntgVn¨nsöp N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv fm{SfÃ, AksW `Öt]msX tWm¡pN]pw sI]vSp. NmÀ BW¨m bn¶n«p. “”B Xmdv FXp¯v N\Nväv sI¿v– {lo^msK,”” AkapsX SpX]n ssN tIÀ¯psNm*v gmcn b_ªp. “”F¶n«v hnWnft]m AtàZm³hv koZnt]mt]m CXv ..C¸w In¯n^bp^w F¯oStà DÅq?”” {lo^mKv Xmdv FXp¯v ]p Fhv dn]pfm]n N\Nväv sI]vSp. “”F¶m tkt*?”” {lo^mKv tImUn¨p. “”Wà Cw¥ogv bmt«m Atàinµn bmt«m CXv,”” gmcn b_ªp. AXp¯Wnfngw Xmdn³s_ tfm\n«_n fWw f]¡p¶ hwPoS¯n³s_ AN¼Xn]n {Shn¸n¡p¶ Wr¯¨pkXpNÄ sk]v¡p¶ hpµ^fm] fmwhbpgv¸§Ä kn^nªp. “”W¶m]n e£\w Njn¡p¶ ko«ns` sNm¨v Bs\¶v tSm¶p¶p,”” {lo^mKv D_s¡ b_ªp. “”l^n]m,”” gmcn l^nsk¨p. “”Wà sNmjp¸m FÃmXp¯pw AtÃ? AsÃXo?”” Ak³ ko*pw AkapsX SpX]psX sNmjp¸n WO§Ä tIÀ¯p. “”Dtlym…”” Ak³s_ WO§Ä kojv¯n] bmXn AfÀ¯ns¡m*v sZ]vhn tkUWn¨Sptbms` H¨]n«p. “”F³s_ gmco, Wà tdmZn Hs¡ Nm\t\ CSvtbms` inµn¡ms^¯s¶ Nm\\w. f`]man sb®p§sX tdmZns]ms¡ Fs¶¯nWv sNmÅmw?”” “”AsS¶m {lo^msK?”” Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”f`]mans¸®p§§sX tdmZns¡¶mXm sNmj¸w?”” AkapsX hz^¯n A¸w Ahzm^hyfp*m]n^p¶p. “”ASv Bâo…”” tSm¡pbm_]nÂ, H^p {X¡nWv sshZv sNmXp¯psNm*v {lo^mKv b_ªp. “”Bâv_ns]m¶v Cu hv{NoWnt`¡v tWm¡nt¡…”” fp`NÄ Ca¡n Wr¯w sI¿p¶ KmNzn`n³ scÀ\m*hn³s_ tWs^ N®pNÄ Nm\n¨v Ak³ SpXÀ¶p. “”F¶m H^p cnP_m¶v- tWm¡nt¡. f`]mans¸®v-§Ä¡v F¶m H*v. Ip½m CuÀ¡n`nt] Sp\n Ipänsk¨tbms`…”” Kho´]psX]pw sZ]vhn]psX]pw {bSnN^\sfs´¶_n]m³ {lo^mKv bmantWm¡n. Kho´]v¡v Ak³s_ b^mfÀl§Ä Sos^]nãs¸Xp¶nà F¶v- Ak³ N*p. “”G]v– A§sWs]m¶pfnà {lo^mtK,”” gmcn b_ªp. Ak³s_ ssN At¸mjpw sZ]vhn]psX SpX]n AfÀ¶n^p¶p. CX]v¡v Ak³s_ ssN A¸w fpNant`¡v tbm]n AkapsX fp`¡v H¶v- sM¡n. “”sly, AX§n]n^n¡v gmco, Wo Ip½m sNm¨pbntÅs^t¸ms`,”” Ak³s_ ssN S«nfmäns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp. “”thm_oXo,”” SpX]n Wn¶v- Ns¿Xp¯vsNm*p A¸w AN¶p fm_n]n^p¶psNm*v gmcn b_ªp. “”WnW¡v CãfmNq¶v- Mm³ HmÀ¯p. ASm sfmt` bnXnt¨. fm{SkÃ. sfm` l^n¡pw sbm_¯v sS_n¨v sNX¡p¶ N*¸w A¸w Nt{*mapw tbm]n,”” “”ASnWp Wos]´nWm N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AN¶v- fm_n]n^n¡ps¶?”” Ak³s_ ssN bnXn¨p S³s_]Xpt¯¡v AXp¸n¨n^p¯n AkÄ b_ªp. “”{lo^msK, inµn¡mÀ¡v fm{Stkm¶pfÃ. Wos]m¶v Kho´ Bâv_ns] tWm¡nt¡. B KmNzn`n³ scÀ\m*hnWmt\m AtSm Kho´ Bâv_n]psX tf¯mt\m NqXpS hmVW§Ä DÅSv?”” C^p«vNmW¯v NqXn Nm_nt¸mÄ b_¡pN]m\v. {lo^mKv Kho´s] tWm¡n. “”tbmXm sI_p¡m. Wo Ip½m Bsa Nan]m¡tÃ. B hpµ^n WUn]psX NqsX]mt\m Wo Fs¶ Nq«ns]¡ps¶?”” {lo^mKv Ss¶ tWm¡n]t¸mÄ Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”{lo ^mtK Wo B³äv_osX sfmOt¯¡mt\m tWm¡ps¶?’ gmcn tImUn¨p. “”AksX tWm¡n]m F§sW]mXm fWÊn`mkps¶?”” sbs«¶v- Ad²w bän]Sptbms` {lo^mKv Kho´]psX fm_nt`¡v tWm¡n. “”l^n]m\tÃm,”” knhvf]w Wn_ª lЯn`pw emk¯n`pw {lo^mKv b_ªp. bns¶ Ak³ hv{NoWn At¸mjpw fp`Napw WnSwdkpfna¡n Wr¯w sI¿p¶ KmNzn`nsW tWm¡n. {lo^mKv S³s_ fm_nt`¡v tWm¡n]t¸mÄ Kho´ `Öt]msX, bp©n^nt]msX AksW tWm¡n. bns¶ bnt¼m«p Sn^nªv gmcns]]pw sZ]vhns]]pw AkÄ tWm¡n. “”Wn§av F¶sSms¡]m bntÅs^ Cu b_]ps¶?”” A¸w sNm©p¶ hz^¯n F¶m sPu^k¯n Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”Wn§sX A½fm^v ^*ptb^pw F³s_ Gäkpw AXp¯ {cm*vhm. F¶n«mt\m Wn§av C§sWs]ms¡ b_]ps¶?”” “”ASnWn¸w M§av tfmlfm]ns«¶m B³äv_o b_sª?”” sZ]vhn]psX SpX]n bSns] AfÀ¯n gmcn tImUn¨p. sZ]vhn A¸w NqXn AkWnt`¡v tIÀ¶n^p¶p. AkÄ SpXNÄ knXÀ¯n Nk¨n^p¶p. At¸mÄ h-vNÀ«v GNtUlw fpjpkWpw AkapsX SXn¨p skap¯ SpXNan Wn¶v- kjpSnfm_n. “”hmVm^\ {c*vhv b_]m_pÅ Nm^y§Ä Atà b_ªpÅq?”” Kho´ AksW sPu^k¯n tWm¡n. bns¶ bn´n^nªv gmcns]]pw sZ]vhnt]]pw tWm¡n. sZ]vhn]psX SpX]n gmcn]psX ssN AfÀ¶n^n¡p¶Spw sZ]vhn]psX SpXNÄ GSm*v bqÀ®fm]pw WPvWfm]n^n¡p¶Spw AkÄ N*p. AkÄ V^n¨ Ipk¶ bmâv_n]psX fp³emPw WWsªm«n]n^n¡p¶Spw Kho´ N*p. Kho´ tWm¡p¶Sv N*p gmcn ssN bn³k`n¡m³ SpX§ns]¦n`pw sZ]vhn Ak³s_ ssN]v¡v tf S³s_ ssN¯`ffÀ¯n AksW kn`¡n. “”Bâv_n,”” {lo^mKv knan¨p. At¸mÄ NmÀ AXnfm`n bn¶n«n^p¶p. “”F´m tfmtW?”” “”MmsWm^p sZu«v tImUnt¨ms«?”” “”kà sNmWãv sZu«pw Bt\mXm?”” “”G]v– sNmWãv H¶pkÃ. Wm¨p_ sZu«m,”” “”Dw …Wo sNmWãvtX tImUn¡q F¶_n]mw. hm^knà tImUn¡v,”” “”Cu KmNzn`nWntÃ, N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Bâv_n tWm¡nt¡. l^n¡v tWm¡nt¡. Akao Ca¡n Nan¡p¶ Ct{Sw k`n] sfm` Wm¨p_ Bt\m kà f^p¶pw Np¯nsk¨v D*m¡n]Smt\m?”” Ak³s_ tImUyw kas^ hzmemknNfm]n tSm¶n AkÄ¡v. In^nt]m b^nimh¨pkt]m H¶pfnÃ. BNml¯n³s_ Wn_w Wo`]mt\m AtSm N_p¸mt\m F¶v- tImUn¡p¶tbms`]pÅ hzmemknNS. Kho´ KmNzn`n³ scÀ\m*hn³s_ fp`Nant`¡v tWm¡n. fp`NÄ l^n¡pw Ca¡n]m\v AkÄ Wr¯w sI¿p¶Sv. Wà D´nknXÀ¶p Wn¡p¶ k`n] I´nNapw B\m]n KWn¨ B^ptX]pw fWÊna¡p¶ ^oSn]n CaNn¯pap¼p¶p*v. “”AÃXm, ASv l^n¡pw Wm¨p_ fp`NÄ S¶m,”” Kho´ b_ªp. ASv tN«p gmcn ko*pw sZ]vhn]psX fp` bnXn¨p sM¡n. AkÄ Ak³s_ ssN bnXn¨pfmän. “”AX§n]n^ns¡Xm,”” AkÄ b_ªp. “”Mm³ ssN tbm¡p¶Sv Wo N*StÃ? sfmt`¸nXn¡p¶Sv CãkÃm^pt¶Â A¶^w bnXn¨pfmäm³ tf`m^pt¶m?”” “”Wo tbmXm,”” AkÄ bp©n^nt]msX gmcns] tWm¡n. “”B³_n,”” {lo^mKv ko*pw tImUn¡p¶Sv gmcn]pw sZ]vhn]pw tN«p. Kho´ AksW tWm¡n. “”Ct{Sw fpjp¯Smkptfm Wm¨p_ fp`?”” Kho´ In^n¨p. “”sWW¡v sb®p§sX fp`s]¸än F¶m A_n]mw {lo^msK?”” AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”CSn`pw F{St]m k`pSmkq¶_n]mtkm Wm¨p_ sfm`? WnW¡v skgfw D*mNptkt` Mm³ H^p Nm^yw b_]mw,”” “”F´v skgfw? Bân b_,”” “”Wn³s_ f½n, In{S F³s_ A_nkn H^p f^p¶pw Np¯nsk¨n«nÃ. Cu sb®n³s_…F¶Sm CkapsX tb^v ?”” hv{NoWnt`¡v tWm¡n Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”KmNzn`n³ scÀ\m*hv,”” bn¼n Wn¶v- gmcn knan¨pb_ªp. “”Hmt¡, Cu KmNzn`nsâ sfm`t]¡mapw Ft´m^w k`ySm AkÄsX sfm` F¶v- sWW¡_n]mtkm?,”” “”B³_n b_ªSv l^n]m,”” gmcn b_ªp. “”In{Sm³äosX sfm` Cu KmNzn`n³s_ sfm`s]¡mÄ Ft´m^w skÃySm-“” “”FXm,”” gmcn]psX tWs^ Sn^nªptWm¡ns¡m*v {lo^mKv tImUn¨p. “”Wo Bap sNmÅmtÃm. F³s_ f½osX sfmt`w Wo tWm¡os«mt*m?”” “”FXm {lo^msK…ASv…”” gmcn Ad²w bän]Sptbms` b_ªp. ASv tN«v Kho´]pw sZ]vhn]pw D_s¡ In^n¨p. “”FXm ¹ohv…Wo H¶pw knIm^n¡Ãv..Mm³ A§sW tWm¡oSÃ. B³_n hm^n]pw Ip^nUm_pw Hs¡ C«v Wn¡p¼w B^m]m`pw ..W½sat¸ms` sI_p¸NmÀ B^m]m`pw Wm¨p_ B]n tWm¡ptkt`? At¶^w tSm¶oSm…AÃmsS …”” “”Dw…Dw …”” sZ]vhn AfÀ¯nfqan AÀ°PÀefm]n In^n¨p. F¶n«v AkÄ Ak³s_ SpX]n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AfÀ¯n WpÅn. “”Wo tbmXo ..Mm³ HÅSv b_ªSm,”” AkapsX ssN bnXn¨pfmän Ak³ b_ªp. {lo^mKpw Kho´]pw In^n SpX^pN]m\v. “”Wo I½pskm¶pw tk* gmcn,”” In^n¡nX]n Kho´ b_ªp. “”Wo N^pSp¶pt*m Ck³ Wn³s_ f½osXw sfmt`t`¡pw tWm¡o«nÃm¶v-? tW^v b_ {lo ^msK , Wo tWm¡o«ntÃXm?”” Ak³s_ N®pNant`¡v tWm¡n Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”Nt*m Nt*m Ck³s_ H^p NŨn^n!”” Kho´]psX kn^`pNÄ ko*pw Ak³s_ sIkn]psX tWs^ Wo*p. “”F³s_ sbm¶pf¡ta..Wn§sat¸ms`]pÅ bntÅ^v Cu {bm]¯n`v H^p sb®n³s_]pw sfmt`w I´ow H¶pw sk_psS knX¯nà F¶v- BÀ¡m A_o¯nÃms¯? Nm_pkm]n«p Wn§av k¶¸w sSm«v Wn§av F³s_ sfmt`¶v- Ns®Xp¯n«pt*mXm?”” “”f½osX fm{Stkm?”” sbs«¶v- sZ]vhn tImUn¨p. “”F³s_ sfm`¡v tWm«w Nn«n tWm«w Nn«n sSma kos\¶m tSm¶pt¶,”” FÃmk^pw In^n¨p. gmcn bSns] ssN D]À¯n. Aksa tWm¡n Ak³ Ak³ ssN bj]Sptbms` hoän¯s¶ sk¨p. sZ]vhn]psX fpO¯v Wn^ml bXÀ¶p. gmcn ko*pw ssN D]À¯n. bnXn¡t\m tk*t]m F¶v- hwl]n¨v ko*pw Ak³ hoänt`¡v ssN Smjv¯m³ SpX§n]t¸mÄ sZ]vhn Ak³s_ ssNs¿Xp¯v S³s_ fp`]n sk¨p. “”bnXnt¨m, Npj¸knÃ,”” bp©n^nt]msX, `Öt]msX AksW tWm¡n AkÄ b_ªp. gmcn¡v knlzhn¡mWm]nÃ. F{StW^fm]n sNmSn¨p Nm¯n^n¡pN]m\v! C{S]pw ewPn]pw k`n¸kpfpÅ fp`NÄ C§sW bNpSnt]maw Sp_¶v- kloN^n¨v Wn¡pt¼mÄ F{SSk\ Sm³ Aks] bnXn¨pX¨psM^n¡pkm³ B{Pin¨Sm\v–. bnXn¨t¸msjms¡ AkÄ SXªp. CWn {lfw tk* F¶v- F¶v- N^pSn]n^n¡pt¼mjm\v sZ]vhn Ss¶ bnXn¨pfp`]n sk¨n^n¡p¶p! Ak³ BhzUn¨v,fp`]psX NojvemPw fpS fpNant`¡v SjpNn]fÀ¯n. sZ]vhn CX]v¡nX¡v N®pNaX¨p AV^w NXn¨fÀ¯n. AkapsX tUi¯v tNm^n¯^n¸v bX^p¶Sv gmcn N*p. Ak³ ftässN Smjv¯n S³s_ A^s¡«n fpj¨pka^p¶ emP¯v sM^n¨fÀ¯n. {lo^mKv ss{Zkv sI¿p¶SnWnX]n Kho´]psX fm_nt`¡v tWm¡n. “”tim! emPyw-“” Ak³ b_ªp. “”B³_n F¶m knIm^n¡q¶v- HmÀ¯v H¶v- tbXn¨m^p¶p. CWn]n¸w ssV^yfm]n tWm¡mtÃm AtÃ?”” “”tbmXm NÅs¯½mXo!”” AkÄ Ak³s_ sIknko*pw bnXn¨pSn^p½n. “”FWn¡v hwl]w ASÃ. Wos]ms¡ hz´w At½sX sfmt`t`¡pw tWm¡pw AtÃymXm?”” “”H¶v- tbm Bâv_n,”” {lo^mKv `Öt]msX Aksa tWm¡n. “”ipw- H¶v- tbm B³_n- MmtWSm]m`pw N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wn§sX A½fmt^mXv H¶v- hqIn¸n¡p¶p*v, hz´w f¡sa H¶v- tWm¡nt¡mt\¶v-,”” Pn]À fmäp¶SnWnX]n Ak³s_ ssN AkapsX SpX]n hvbÀln¨p. Ak³ A¸w AfÀ¯n]m\v AknsX sSm«Sv–. B Wnfngw Ss¶ AkÄ AkWn Wn¶v- Wo§n]n^n¡psf¶v- {lo^mKv HmÀs¯¦n`pw Ak³s_ tSm¶`nWv– knb^oSfm]n AkÄ Ak³s_ AXpt¯¡v tIÀ¶n^p¶p. {lo^mKv bnt¼m«p tWm¡n]t¸mÄ gmcn sZ]vhn]psX fp`NÄ AfÀ¯nsM¡p¶ Nmjv¨]m\v Nm\p¶Sv. fXn]n`n^p¶ sZ]vhn]psX ssN AknsX bSns] AfÀ¯p¶p*v. SpXNÄ AN¯nsk¨n^p¶SnWm AkapsX bm³äohpw ASn³s_ fp¼ns` WWkpw Ak³ kyàfm]n N*p. sZ]vhn N®pNaX¨p Ak³s_ fp`bnXp¯w BhzUn¡pN]m]n^p¶SnWm {lo^mKv tWm¡p¶Sv AkÄ N*nÃ. gmcn AksW tWm¡n N®n_p¡n]X¨p Nm\n¨p. “”Bâv_n, B³_n…”” {lo^mKv bn¼n`n^n¡p¶kÀ tNÄ¡msS Kho´s] AX¡¯n knan¨p. Ak³ bn¼nt`¡v N®pNÄ Nm\n¨p. Kho´ Sn^nªptWm¡n. gmcn sZ]vhn]psX fp`NÄ fm_nfm_n¸nXn¨v BhzUn¡pN]m\v. Ak³ AkapsX ssNs¿Xp¯v S³s_ A^s¡«ns` fpj¸n bnXn¨fÀ¯n sk¡p¶p. Kho´ bn¼nt`¡v Sn^nªptWm¡n]t¸mÄ gmcn bp_t¯¡v tWm¡n. sZ]vhn N®pNaX¨v–, Ipk¶ AV^§Ä NXn¨fÀ¯n Ak³s_ Hmt^m hvbÀlWkpw BhzUn¡pN]m\v. Kho´ {bSntgVemk¯n Ft´m b_]m³ SpX§n]t¸mÄ {lo^mKv sbs«¶v- AkapsX Ip*n kn^ tIÀ¯pkn`¡n. “”tk*…Ak^v BhzUn¡s« B³_n…FtWmt¡m emPyknÃ,”” Ak³s_ kn^ S³s_ Ip*n AfÀ¶t¸mÄ kas^ tW^w fp¼v SpX§n] koÀ¸pfp«Â Kho´]n So{kfm]n. Wà Wo*p ewPn]pÅ kn^`pNÄ. kr¯n]pÅ WO§Ä. kn^`pNan Wn¶v- Ak³s_ fpOt¯¡v AkÄ tWm¡n. NpWpNpsW]pÅ folt^mf§Ä Ak³s_ Ipk¶ Ip*pNsa ASymNÀgvfm¡p¶p. Wo`¡®pNÄ. Ak]n Wn¶v- bp_s¸Xp¶ Nmtfm²obNfm] Wo`skan¨w. tfmimtklw Sn^SÃp¶ Ip*pNÄ. bs£ S³s_ Dähpir¯v In{S]psX fNWm\v Cu sNufm^¡m^³. S³s_ fNWmNmWpÅ {bm]ftà AkWpÅq? fWÊm£n F¶ H^p hmVWw SWn¡nÃm]n^pt¶m F¶v- bn¶oXv Sm³ Ss¶ hz]w Npäs¸Xp¯ntÃ? Nmf¯n³s_]pw kntkN¯n³s_]pw ]p²¯n Nmfw fm{Stf K]n¡m³ Sm³ CSv ks^ AWpkUn¨n«pÅq. C\]psX {bm]fm\v {blvWsf¦n D¯t^´y¡m^³ At`mNn³s_ {bm]w F{S]m]n^p¶p? sk_pw bSnsW«v. Ak³ Wo«n] b¨tWm«pNÄ¡v fp¼n S³s_ hUmIm^tdmVsfknsXt¸m]n^p¶p? F´nWv, ssWKo^n]]n Wn¶v- tN^aw Nm\msW¯n], tPm{SkÀ¤ ^mKmkn³s_ fN³ kn³sh³äv tfmtdm«]psX {bm]w F{S]m]n^p¶p. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv b{´*n©p WoafpÅ Ak³s_ Np®]psX fp¼n S³s_ bq_pWWªpNpSnÀ¶ntÃ? fWÊn`qsX Bt`mIWm hwQÀg§Ä fp_pNpt¼mÄ, NmÀ Io]¸m_ skŨm«¯nWp fp¼n`qsX NX¶ptbmNpt¼mÄ, Kho´ A_nªp, Ip*pNapsX frUp`S]nÂWn¶v- S³s_ Nq«pNm^n]psX fN³s_ IqXpÅ kn^ Smtj¡njªv , hm^n¡v fpNan S³s_ fp`¡®pNsa S«n Wn¡p¶p. H¶v hwl]n¨SnWp tlgw B kn^ fp`¡®n AfÀ¶p. Kho´]psX WoÄfnjnNÄ Nq¼n]Xªp. hpOw. kn`¡s¸« NWn Sn¶pt¼mÄ iÆ AWpekn¨ AkmIyfm] hpOw… bn¼n B hf]w gmcn]psX bm³_vhn³s_ hnºv Sp_¶v- sZ]vhn Ak³s_ SXn¨ Np® bp_s¯Xp¯v Smtj¡pw fpNant`¡pw bnXn¨fÀ¯m³ SpX§n]n^p¶p. AkapsX C^pfp`Napw bp_t¯¡n«v gmcn Ak]n fm_n fm_n bnXn¨fÀ¯m³ SpX§n]Sv Kho´ N*p. sZ]vhn]psX fp`Nan AfÀ¶n^n¡p¶ Ak³s_ ssNNan Wn¶v- sZ]vhn]psX N¿n Wn¶v- kn_]v¡p¶ Ak³s_ SXn¨ Np®]nt`¡v AkapsX tWm«w h©^n¨p. B NmjvI Aksa CSpks^]pfWpekn¡m¯ H^p S^mw S^n¸nt`¡v WX¯n. B UrlyhpO¯n S^n¨n^n¡pt¼mÄ, {lo^mKn³s_ ssN Smtj¡v, k]_nt`¡v, sbm¡nÄs¡mXn]nt`¡v. hm^n]psX fpNan`qsX SpX]nt`¡v, bmU¯nt`¡v Nmf¯n³s_ tSÀI{N§Ä D^pap¶Sptbms`, IqtXmsX, kn_¨v, UrZfm]n Wo§pN]m]n^p¶p. H^p tka hpO¯n³s_ Abm^fm] H^p Wnfngw N®pNÄ AX¨v– ko*pw Sp_¶t¸mÄ, NmÀ H^p NmXnWpÅn WnÀ¯n]n«n^n¡p¶Sv AkÄ N*p. bn³ hoän At¸mÄ gmcn]psX kn^`pNÄ sZ]vhn]psX bq_nWpÅn N]_n]n_§p¶Sv AkÄ N*p. sZ]vhn]psX bq_n kn^`pNÄ Smjv¯pN]pw sbm¡pN]pw sI]vSpsNm*v Ak³ Kho´s] Nmf N¯p¶ N®pNtamsX tWm¡n. WWªpNpjª S³s_ bm³äohv sZ]vhn gmcn]psX fq¡ntWmXXp¸n¨v bnXn¸n¨v AksW f\¸n¡p¶p. CX]v¡v sZ]vhn Kho´s] tWm¡n bp©n^n¨p. {lo^mKv At¸mtj¡pw Kho´]psX hm^n Ajn¨pfmän]n^p¶p. s»uhnWpÅn koÀ¸pfp«n¡nX¡p¶ S³s_ D¶Sfm] fm_nX¯nt`¡v Ak³ hmNqSw tWm¡p¶Sv NXt¸mÄ Kho´]psX Wn]{´\¯n³s_ AkhmW S·m{S]pw sbm«n¸naÀ¶ptbm]n. Btklt¯msX AkÄ Ak³s_ fpOw bnXn¨v S³s_ fp`NÄ¡nX]ns`¡v tIÀ¯psk¨v sM^n¨p. Ak³s_ fpOsfXp¯v AkÄ C^pfp`Nan`pw fm_nfm_n tIÀ¯fÀ¯n D^¨p. “”tfmtW…F³s_ tbm¶ptfmtW …”” AkapsX kn_]v¡p¶ AV^§Ä IqXpÅ lÐ§Ä bp_s¸Xpkn¨p. “”B³_n …Bân ….”” fpOw fp`NÄ¡nX]n Wn¶v- hzS{´fmNp¶ AbqÀÆw Wnfng§an AkWpw f{´n¨p. Ipäpw fmt´m¸m]n^p¶p. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv fmkpNapsX InÃNan {bmkpNapw b©kÀ®¯¯Napw Np_pNn. fpjp¯pknaª, Ipäpw hpPÔw b^¯p¶, fm¼j§sa sNmSnt]msX sNm¯n¯n¶pN]m]n^p¶ A®mWpNÄ Nm_nWpÅns` I`n¡p¶ Wnj`pNÄ tWm¡n Wn¶p. fm´`¸pNsa D`¨psNm*v– H^p S\p¯Nmän_§nk¶p. {lo^mKn³s_ AV^§sa Btklt¯msX I¸nk`n¡p¶SnWnX]n AkapsX ssN Ak³s_ ln`m^qbn]m] fmwh¡g\s¯ bm³ävhnWpfpNan`qsX sM¡n]fÀ¯n. SpXt]mXp tIÀ¶v- kn`§sW NnX¡pN]m]n^p¶p ASv. C^ Nm¯v SaÀ¶pNnX¡p¶ f`¼m¼nsWt¸ms`. AkÄ ASn³s_ s{Nu^yf_nªp. hv{SoNapsX ^ithymUymW¯nt`¡v kas^]VnNsfm¶pw Wq*pN]_n]n«nÃm¯ Ak³s_ fmwhem^w AkapsX SjpN`n ASnd`w hzoN^n¨p. d`w NqXpt´m_pw AkapsX SjpN`n³s_ lànNqXn. SjpN`n³sä]pw sM¡`n³s_]pw lànNqXp¶SWph^n¨v Np® ko*pw k®n¨v, N«nsk¨v, fp_p¡w sk¨v bmânhnWN¯v sbm§ns¸m§n k¶p. AkapsX ewPn]pÅ, fmWnNypkÀ sI]vS, Wo* kn^`pNÄ S³s_ A^s¡«ns` koÀ¸pfp«`nsW sM¡n]fÀ¯pt¼mÄ {lo^mKn³s_ ssNNÄ AkapsX s»uhn³s_ NpXp¡pNÄ ANSn]n^p¶p. s»uhn³s_ fp³emPw AjnªpNnX¶p. ASnWpÅnÂ, Ipk¶ {dm]v¡pÅn sbm§n¯p_n¨p, fpj¨p, NÃn¨v sS_n¨ fp`NÄ kn§nkoÀ¯p. “”sM¡v…sM¡n sbm«n¡v tfmtW…”” Ak³s_ IqXpÅ tWm«w S³s_ fp`Nsa sbmÅn¡pt¼mÄ AkÄ f{´n¨p. kn_]mÀ¶ ssNNÄ {lo^mKv AkapsX sS_n¨ fm_n AfÀ¯pt¼mÄ N`nt¸msX Kho´ Ak³s_ A^s¡«n AfÀ¯n. “”F´mXm CSv?”” AfÀ¯Â SpXÀ¶v- Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”Np®,”” Ak³ b_ªp. “”BÀ¡mXm?”” “”B³_n¡v,”” “”fm{Sw?”” “”AÃ,”” Ak³ b_ªSv AkapsX fpO{bhmUw A¸w Np_¨p. “”bns¶?”” Ak³ bn³hoänt`¡v tWm¡n. gmcn cvt`m_n`pw hoän³s_ tf`pw Nk¨pWn¶v- S³s_ fpjp¯ Np® sZ]vhn]psX km]nt`¡v SÅns¡mXp¡pN]m]n^p¶p At¸mÄ. gmcn]psX ssN Sp_¶p knXÀ¶n^p¶ sZ]vhn]psX bq_n N]_n]n_§pN]pw sI¿p¶p*m]n^p¶p. “”AkÄ¡pw. sZ]vhn¡pw. B³_vsX tfmÄ¡pw,”” Kho´ k`n] Btklt¯msX hm^n k`n¨psbm¡n A^s¡«v WPvWfm¡n. bm³äohv k`n¨q^n AkÄ Ak³s_ ssN]n sNmXp¯p. “”W¡n ..I¸n Sn¶v Np«m B³äosX bm³än,”” AkÄ b_ªp. {lo^mKv WWªpNpSnÀ¶ bm³än]psX fp³emPw AkÄ Nm¬sN W¡n. f\¯p. bns¶ km]n`n«v I¸n. Kho´ NkNÄ knXÀ¯n sbman¨psk¨p. WWªpNpSnÀ¶ AkapsX bq_p kÃmsS fUK`w Ip^¯p¶p*m]n^p¶p. AkÄ sb^pkn^`n«p N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv bq_ns` skÅw tSm*ns]Xp¯v Ak³s_ km]psX tWs^ Wo«n, {lo^mKv km]v– Sp_¶v- BkapsX kn^`nsW km]n hzoN^n¨p. Ak³ Kho´s] f`À¯n¡nX¯n. SpXNÄ knXÀ¯nSp_¶p sk¨p. fUPÔw bp_s¸Xpkn¡p¶ AkapsX knXÀ¶v- bq_n fq¡v tIÀ¯v Ak³ Bªp lzhn¨p. AkÄ ^*pssNNÄ sNm*pw bq_p knXÀ¯n H¶pNqsX Sp_¶p bnXn¨p. Ak³ WmkpWo«n. knXÀ¶v- sS_n¡pN]m]n^p¶ k`n] N´nsW Ak³s_ Wmkp hvbÀln¨t¸mÄ AkÄ A^s¡«na¡n “”iqhv…ÊvÊv…”” F¶v- lÐfp*m¡n. “”BBiv…”” AkÄ A^s¡«p]À¯n Ak³s_ fpO¯v bq_n«p^¨p. F¶n«v bn³hoänt`¡v tWm¡n. gmcn]psX Np® km]n sk¨v ^pIn¨v k`n¨o¼n AkÄ A½s] tWm¡n. S§Ä b^hvb^w Nmfmhàn Wn_ª N®pNtamsX b^hvb^w tWm¡pN]m\v F¶v- AkÀ Sn^n¨_nªp. {lo^mKn³s_ Wmkv AkapsX bqÀ¡X`n Np¯n¯pj]p¶ tSm\n]m]n fm_n. NX`ns` Wos^mjp¡n³s_ {bkmis¯ ASnKokn¨v fpt¶_p¶Sv tbms` Ak³s_ Wmkp AkapsX bq_n sS¶nWo§n. Sp_¶n« Ipk¶s»uhpw ASnWN¯v Ipk¶ {dm]pw ASnWpÅn kn§n¸jp¯v sbm«nkojm³ SpX§p¶ fp`Napfm]n Kho´ fp³hoän f`À¶v NnX¶p. {lo^mKn³s_ WmkpS^p¶ hpOw ASymhànt]msX AkÄ hzoN^n¨p. ASnWnX]n bn³bn gmcn sZ]vhns] f`À¯n¡nX¯p¶Sv AkÀ N*p. Kho´]psX N®pNant`¡v tWm¡ns¡m*v AkÄ NkNÄ b^fmkVn Sp_¶psbman¨p sk¨p. gmcn At¸mtj¡pw bm³_vhv Du^nfmän bqÀ® WPvWWm]n^p¶p. Ak³s_ sk«nkn_]v¡p¶ Np®]nt`¡v Kho´ sNmSnt]msX tWm¡n. A¸hf]w Njn]pt¼mÄ B Np® S³s_ fNapsX bq_nt`¡v Bjv¶n_§pw F¶_nªt¸mÄ AkapsX N´v H¶pNqXn S^n¨psbm«n. fp`¡®pNÄ H¶pNqXn NÃn¨p Sp_n¨p. “”sZ]vhn Wn³s_ bq_n tNävt¶Wp fp¼v Np®v- H¶v- F®]nX\w. AtàWn³s_ bq_n tN_nsÃXo,”” Ak³ b_ªp. “”ASnWn¸w FknsX]m F®?”” N´n M^Xns¡m*v sZ]vhn tImUn¨p. “”Wn³s_ f½osX km]n H*v. sNm*ptbm]n H¶v- F® CXs«?”” AkÄ A½s] tWm¡n. {lo^mKn³s_ Wmkn Wn¶pÅ Nmf{bkmiw bq_nt`¡v Bkmin¨p ^hn¡p¶ Kho´s] tWm¡n AkÄ N®n_p¡n¡m\n¨p. “”Ak³s_ Np® f½osX bq_n`pw tN_m³ hmVyS]nÃ,”” {lo^mKnsW Dt±ln¨p sZ]vhn b_ªp. “”AktWmXv Ct§m«v k^m³ b_. Ak³s_ Np®]vs¡mÅ F® F³s_ km]nt`m*v,”” gmcn Aksa ssN]n bnXn¨v Fjpt¶Â¸n¨p. “”km, Wfp¡v At§m«p tbmNmw. AknsX sk¨v Ak³s_ Np®]v¡v sWW¡v F®]n«v sNmXp¡mw,”” bqÀ® N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv WPvW^m]n AkÀ fp³hoänt`¡v tbm]n. {lo^mKv Kho´]psX bq_n Wmkn«na¡n ^hn¡pN]pw ^hw sNmXp¡pN]pw sI¿pt¼mÄ gmcn AkapsX fpO¯nWv– fp³bnÂ, S³s_ kn_¨p sk«p¶ fpjp¯ Np®]pfm]n Wn¶p. ASnWp Nm¯n^p¶ns«¶tbms` Kho´ km]v–bnaÀ¯n Ak³s_ Np®s] S³s_ km]n hzoN^n¨p. AkapsX km]n Ak³ Np® bSns] SÅn]n_¡n. AkapsX km]psX, DfnWo^n³s_ IqXpw S^n¸pw Ak³s_ Np® hzoN^n¨p. “”Aiimiv ….”” gmcn hpOw sNm*v A`_n. SpXÀ¶v- {lo^mKn³s_ km]n Wn¶pw ASne]¦^ hpOw WÂNp¶ A`À¨]p]À¶p. Np®km]n hzoN^n¨psNm*p Kho´]pw gmcn]pw tWm¡pt¼mÄ sZ]vhn {lo^mKn³s_ Nm`pNÄ¡nX]n Np¯n]n^p¶v Ak³s_ Np® k`n¨o¼pN]m]n^p¶p. {lo^mKn³s_ Np® BhzUn¨v Cu¼p¶SnWnX]n sZ]vhn]psX kn^`pNÄ hz´w bq_nWpÅn hpOf_n]pN]m]n^p¶p. NmjvISs¶ hpO¯n³s_ sb^pfjW¡p¶Sm]n^p¶p AkÄ¡v. A½]psX bqÀ¡Wm`n`qsX Wmkn³tSm\n]n ]m{SsI¿p¶ {lo^mKv. A½]psX IqXpÅ km]v–Ppi]n`qsX S³s_ f`¼m¼v Np® N]än]n_¡p¶ gmcn. fsäm¶pw tk*n]n^p¶nà sZ]vhn¡v ^SnfqÀ¨]ns`¯m³. Nmj¨]psX D²obWw fm{Sw fSn AkÄ¡v N´n³s_ {bektN{µw WÂNp¶ hpOfqÀ¨]psX kh´w bq_ns`¯m³… sbs«¶v- km]n`n^p¶ gmcn]psX Np® AkÄ bp_t¯¡v Du^n. hpOw WãvXs¸« gmcn Kho´s] U]Wo]fm]n tWm¡n. “”Smsj Nps¯Xm…N´n …N´n D^¨p Np¯v…”” gmcn]psX fpO¯v hq^y·mÀ DUn¨p. gmcn Sn^nªpWn¶p. Ct¸mÄ Ak³s_ I´nNÄ Kho´]psX fpO¯nWenfpOfm\v. Sn^nªp Wn¶v- bSns] Ak³ Smtj¡v Wo§n Kho´]psX A^s¡«ns`¯n. {lo^mKnsâ Wmkp At¸mjpw hpOs¸m^n InS_n¨psNm*n^p¶ Kho´]psX bq_nt`¡v gmcn Np® Wn^¡ns¡m*vtbm]n. Kho´]psX bqÀ¡pa¯nt` N`§nf_nª skůn Duan]n«psNm*n^p¶ {lo^mKn³s_ Wmkv sbs«¶v- gmcn]psX Np®]psX hvbÀlf_nªp. gmcn]psX Np® {lo^mKn³s_ Wmkn fp«n. gmcn {lo^mKn³s_ fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n Ct¸mÄ Wn`v¡p¶ ØmWw fm_n Sm³ Wn¡p¶nX¯v k^m³ N®pNÄ sNm*v BwPyw Nm\n¨p. {lo^mKv Kho´]psX bq_n Wn¶v- Wmkp bn³k`n¨v WnkÀ¶v- Fjpt¶äp. At¸mÄ Kho´ “”sly F¶m b\n]m tfmtW Nm\nt¨?”” F¶v- Ahiyfm] AWnãt¯msX tImUn¨p. “”sk]väv B³_n…C¸ k^mw,”” {lo^mKv b_ªp. Ak³ Fjpt¶ät¸mÄ sZ]vhn]psX km]nÂWn¶v-, DfnWo^n NpSnÀ¶ Np® skan]n k¶p. {lo^mKv fm_n]t¸mÄ B Ø`¯v gmcn k¶p. gmcn Kho´]psX Nm`pNÄ knXÀ¯n]N¯n, AkapsX SpXNÄ¡nX]n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wn¶p. knXÀ¯n]N¯n Sp_¶psk¨bq_nt`¡v gmcn Np®]Xp¸n¨p. “”sZ]vhn…”” A½]psX Sp_¶ bq_nt`¡v fnjn¨ptWm¡p¶ sZ]vhns] tWm¡n gmcn knan¨p. AkÄ Fjpt¶äp. “”Wn³s_ f½osX bqän l^n¡v Np® NX¯m³ bäp¶nÃ. Wo]n§v kt¶…H¶v- bnXn¨pskt¨…” AkÄ Kho´s] tWm¡n. At¸mtj¡pw {lo^mKv Np® AkapsX {dm]n kn§nkoÀ¯pNnX¶n^p¶ sNmjp¯ fp`NÄ¡nX]nt`¡v Np® Np¯n]n_¡m³ SpX§n]n^p¶p. Ak³s_ t`miUrZfm] fmwh¡g\w fp`NÄ¡nX]ns` D_¨fmwhen¯nNÄ¡nX]n`qsX sM§nsM^p§n Wo§pt¼mÄ C^p ssNNÄ sNm*pw fp`NÄ tIÀ¯fÀ¯pN]m]n^p¶p Kho´. “”Ck³s_ Np® Mm³ bnXn¨v f½osX bqän tNät« f½o?”” Kho´ U]Wo]fm]n IpäpfpÅks^ tWm¡n. “”f½osW C§sW sNmÃms¡m` sI¿tà tfmsa….I¯ptbmNpw Mm³ …A{S]v¡v Nj¨p sbm«pkm…tkPw sk¡v tfmsa…tkP bnXn¨psk¡v…¹ohv…F´nWm tImUn¡ps¶?”” H^p ssN bqän Np¯n]n_¡n, ftäss¡ sNm*v gmcn]psX SXn¨pIoÀ¯ Np® sZ]vhn bnXn¨p. gmcn A¸w NqXn Kth´]psX bq_nt`¡v tIÀ¶p. H^p ssN sNm*p hmVn¡nà F¶v- F¶_nªv bq_n Wn¶v- S³s_ ftäss¡ sZ]vhn hzS{´fm¡n. F¶n«v ^p ssNNÄsNm*pw AkÄ Ak³s_ Np® Kho´]psX kn_¨pS^n¡p¶ N´n fp«n¨p. “”timtimtimivtimtim….Aiiimim…”” b^nh^s¯ {bN¼WwsNmÅn¨v Kho´]psX fUwsbm«p¶ ho¡m^ lÐfp]À¶p. sZ]vhn gmcn]psX Np®¯`¸v bnXn¨v ko*pw Kho´]psX N´n AfÀ¯n]p^¡m³ SpX§n. H^p ssN sNm*v AkÄ Kho´]psX N´v fÀUn¨p. gmcn]psX Np® Ipän¸nXn¨n^p¶ sZ]vhn]psX ssN]psX tkPw NqXn. AkÄ B{NtfmÕpNSt]msX Kho´]psX N´nsW gmcn]psX Np®sNm*v AfÀ¯n]fÀ¯n fÀUn¨p. A^s¡«naNn {em´p N]_n]ksat¸ms` Kho´ Nqknknan¨p. kn]À¸v Wn_ªv AkapsX S`fpXn fpOt¯¡v bXÀ¶p. Ipk¶ f`À¶ Ip*pNÄ AkÄ NXn¨fÀ¯n lÐw Wn]{´n¡m³ {lfn¨p. “”Smsj..CWn Smsj..tfmsa..f½osX I¡^ fpt¯..CWn f½osX bq_n FXp¯pNps¯Xm I¡t^ Ak³s_ Np®….”” A^s¡«na¡n Np`p¡n AkÄ fNtamXv b_ªp. sZ]vhn gmcn]psX Np® N´nWp Smtj¡v Wn^¡n. Wn`¡msS At¸mjpw {bkin¡pN]m]n^p¶ fUK`w Wn_ªpSpap¼n] AkapsX bq_n sZ]vhn gmcn]psX Np® bnXn¨psk¨p. gmcn At¸mÄ bSns] SÅn. Ak³s_ Np® fpjpk³ AkapsX WnPqZS knjp§n…. gmcn AX¡nWnÀ¯n] hN` Wn]{´\§apw gmcn Ajn¨pkn«Sptbms` Kho´]psX tf SmÞkfmXn. CSpks^ A_n]m¯ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv frPo] tkPS]n S³s_ bq_n³s_ en¯nNsa Sp^¶v-, Spa¨v, sM^n¨v, inwhn¨v C_§n¡]_p¶ gmcn]psX Np®s] AkÄ hÀÆlàn]psfXp¯v– A^s¡«p]À¯n]Xn¨p hzoN^n¨p. lp¢sNmjp¸v fUK`¸mX]n Nq«n]p^hn So{k Sma¯n`pÅ CXnfpj¡§Ä tNĸn¨p. ASpks^ Kho´]psX fp`NÄ¡nX]n Ptkg\w WX¯ns¡m*n^p¶ {lo^mKnWv S³s_ Np®]psX bpSn] Aen`mgw Sn^n¨_nªp. bn¼n hpir¯v gmcn B³_n]psX bq_p sbman¨Xp¡pN]m\v. At¸mÄ Ss¶ Ak³s_ fpO¯nWv– fp¼n bq_p knXÀ¯n¸nXn¨v sZ]vhn Wn¡p¶p*v. gmcn]psX Wmkp AkapsX knXÀ¶v- sbmanª bq_n³s_ Ajfa¡p¶p*v. At¸mÄ FknsX sNm*ptbm]n sk¡pw Sm³ S³s_ Np®s]…? AkWp H^p Bl]w tSm¶n. {lo^mKv Kho´s] Sm§n¸nXn¨v hoän Wn¶v- Fjpt¶Â¸n¨p. “”F¶m sI¿m³ tbmNpkm Wo?”” gmcn Np® Du^m³ emkn¨v tImUn¨p. “”Np® F³s_ bqäo¶v- F§mWpw Du^n]m ssft^ Wns¶ Mm³ F_nªp sNmÃpw,”” ASv b_ªt¸mjp*m] Kho´]psX fpOemkw Ak^psX A^s¡«ns` bn^nfp_p¡s¯ C^«n¸n¨p. kn]À¸v bpSªv, fpXn]njNÄ kn]À¸n bpSªv, fUWNmf³ SbÊn^p¶v tWXm³ sNmSn¡p¶ Ipk¶ Ip*pNÄ NXn¨fÀ¯n Nmf¡`n¸n …. “”gmco. f½osX bqäo¶v- Du^* Wo Np®….AÃmsS Ss¶ Wfp¡v Nm_o¶v- bp_¯v NX¡mw. {lo^mKv ASm Dt±ln¡ps¶ CknsX A{S huN^yw tbm^m…{lo^mKv f½osX ssNt] bnXn¡v. Wo Du¡ns¡m*v Ss¶ f½osW At^¸nXn¨p sbm¡v…MmWpw NqXmw. F¶n«v Wfp¡v Cu {Pu*n f½osW sNX¯mw.”” “”Bt^`pw k^ptkmXn?”” {lo^mKv bn¼n Wn¶v- Kho´s] ssNNan¸nXn¨p sbm¡n]p]À¯p¶SnWnX]n Du¡v SpXÀ¶psNm*v gmcn tImUn¨p. “”B^v Nm\m³?”” Ak^n^pk^pw Kho´s] FXp¯p]À¯n Nm_nWp skan]nt`¡v Wo§tk sZ]vhn tImUn¨p. “”sW_¨pw fmktÃ? AXps¯m¶pw koXv H¶pw Nm\p¶nÃ. CWn kÃk·mt^m kÃkapwfmt^m k¶m tWm¡nWn¶v- km\w knt«¨pw sbmt¡mapw,”” Kho´s] bn¼n Wn¶v- FXp¯p]À¯n Wo§pt¼mÄ Ak³s_ ssNNÄ AkapsX fp`Nsa Ipän¸nXn¨n^p¶p. sZ]vhn sbm§n¯p_n¨p Wn¶ Kho´]psX fp`N®pNÄ AfÀ¯nsM^Xn A½]psX Nj¸v Nq«n. bp_t¯¡n_§n¡jnªv {lo^mKv B\v Kho´s] BUyw bp¸p_¯v NnX¯n]Sv. F¶n«k³ AkapsX AXn]n C^p¶p. Ak³s_ Dt±lw fWÊn`m¡n gmcn Aksa Ak³s_ fXn]nt`¡v Kho´]psX A^s¡«v sk¨p. “”tNänt¡m,”” gmcn b_ªp. “”Mm³ sZ]vhns] sI]vtSmamw,”” “”sZ]vhns] Wf¡v F¸w tkt\`pw Nn«pw. ASv tbms`]à N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Bâv_n. F¸jpw dnhn]m. ASpsNm*v. Wfp¡v H^pfn¨p B³äosW sI¿mw…”” “”H^pfnt¨m?”” gmcn]psX Du¡n³s_ Sma¯nWv A^s¡«v sbm¡n]p]À¯ns¡mXp¯psNm*v Kho´ tImUn¨p. “”H^pfn¨v,”” AkapsX fp`NÄ AfÀ¯nsM^n¨psNmXp¯v {lo^mKv b_ªp. “”tk* {lo^msK. Ct{Sw fpjp¯ ^*pNp®NÄ H^pfn¨v tN_n]m f½osX bq_p No_nt¸mNpw. bns¶ fpÅm³ tbm`pw sNmůnÃ,”” “”bqän`sÃXo,”” {lo^mKv fsäss¡sNm*v sZ]vhn]psX fp` bnXn¨p sM¡ns¡m*v b_ªp. “”sNmS¯nÂ,”” sZ]vhn Kho´]psX fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n. “”sNmS¯n tNäos«mt*m f½o?”” “”Wo H¶v- tbm sZ]vhn,”” gmcn In^n¨p. “”hm]n¸·m^tà B³äosX Øn^w. AkfmÀ¡v sNmSftà Cã Ø`w?”” “”bs£ FXm gmco,”” sZ]vhn A¸w e]t¯msX b_ªp. “”f½n Ht^ hf]w bqän`pw sNmSSn`pw Ht^hf]w sI]vSns«m¶pw H*mknÃ. A{S]v¡v FN-vhvsbÀ«v H¶pfà f½n,”” AkÀ H^pfn¨v Kho´s] tWm¡n. “”F³s_ tfmtW…BsN Nj¨psbm«pkm ..Wn§av sNmS¯nt`m bqänt`m FksXt]`pw Ft´`pw sI¿v– …sSmX§nsk¨n«p WnÀ¯n]m ASn³s_ skgfw F¶Sm¶v Wn§tamXv b_]m³ FWn¡v bänÃ…”” “”ASnWm^m WnÀ¯ns] B³_n…?”” gmcn tImUn¨p. “”Mm³ sI]vtSm*n^n¡pktÃ?”” Ak³ hÀÆ làn]psfXp¯v BªXn¨p. ASnWnX]n {lo^mKv Kho´]psX AXn]n Wq*p N]_n. D^p¡ptbms` Np`¨pkoÀ¯ Np® Ak³ AkapsX PpUUzm^¯n³s_ b^nh^¯v fp«n¨p. AknsX fpjpk³ Np®]n Wn¶v- NnWnªpsNm*n^p¶ bl{UmkNw tS¨pbnXn¸n¨p. bns¶ fp_pNn¡qXn] PpUUzm^¯n fp«n¨p. “”sZ]vhn, H¶v- kt¶Xo,”” {lo^mKv sZ]vhns] tWm¡n knan¨p. Kho´]psX bq_n N]_n]n_§ns¡m*n^p¶ gmcn]psX Np®]n St`mXns¡m*n^p¶ sZ]vhn ASv tN«p AksW tWm¡n. “”B³_nsX NqSn e]¦^ fp_p¡kmXo…Wo F³s_ Np®¶v- skÅsfXp¯v NqSo l^n¡v H¶v- tS¨v k`pSm¡ns¡ sSma,”” sZ]vhn {lo^mKn³s_ Np®]n bnXn¨pNps_ tW^w AXn¨p. bns¶ ASn³s_ fNpX¯n ssN¯`w AfÀ¯n ASns` bl¸v Wn_ª skÅw sNm*p ssNskÅ l^n¡v NpSnÀ¯p. kn^`pNan ASv tS¨pbnXn¸n¨p. AkÄ ASv bns¶ Kho´]psX PpUUzm^¯n³s_ Ipäpw fpNan`pw tS¨p. AkÄ bns¶ sI_pkn^ ASnt`¡n_¡n. gmcn]psX Np® bq_nt`¡v N]_p¶ Sma¯n AkÄ kn^ Kho´]psX sNmS¯n N]än]n_¡n. A¸w Njnªt¸mÄ PpUUzm^¯n³s_ fp_p¡w A]]pN]pw AkÄ AXp¯ kn^ NqXn]nXpN]pw sI]vSp. “”CWn N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv tNs«Xm {lo, C¸w Hms¡]m]n,”” kn^ Du^ns]Xp¯v AkÄ b_ªp. bns¶ AkÄ Kho´]psX AXn]n NnX¡p¶ {lo ^mKn³s_Np`¨psbm§nWn¶ Np® ssN]ns`Xp¯v Kho´]psX PpUUzm^¯n fp«n¨p. “”SÅXm sI¡m…Mm³ sfm¯w sNmS¯n sk¨v S^q¶v knIm^nt¨m*v AW§msS hpOn¨v Wn¡pkmt\m Wo..SÅns¡äv–…Dw -“” {lo^mKv Np® SÅn. gmcn Du^n]Xn¡p¶ Smaw In`t¸mÄ Ak³s_ Np®s] sNmS¯n Wn¶v- sS¶n¡aªp. “”hvboZv sNm_¨v AXn¡v gmcn..AkWpw NqsX H¶v- tNät«,”” sZ]vhn gmcnt]mXv b_ªp. gmcn tkPS Np_¨p. {lo^mKv Np® sNmS¯nt`¡v SÅn. BUyw B]mhw tSm¶ns]¦n`pw Ak³s_ SXn¨ Np® hmkVmWw sNmS¯nt`¡v N]_nt¸m]n. “”HmHmsimsimsimsimsimsim…”” BUyw tkUW sNm*pw bns¶ ASn^nÃm¯ hpOw sNm*pw Kho´ A`_nknan¨p. gmcn ko*pw hvboZv Nq«n. AXn]n NnX¶v- {lo ^mKpw Np® tkPS]n Kho´]psX sNmS¯nt`¡v AXn¨psNmXp¯p. gmcn AkapsX C^pfp`Nan`pw sM^n¨fÀ¯n¸nXn¨m\v SÅn]q¡p¶Sv. C^p l^o^§Ä¡nX]nÂ, C^p Np®NapsX]pw hpOf_nªp Kho´ bpaªp kn_¨v fUn¨p. A´^o£w Wn_s] bp^pg·m^psX Nmfmhàn Wn_ª A`À¨NapsX]pw Kho´]psX ho¡m^ lЯn³s_]pw dia¯n fp§n. sZ]vhn bp¸p_¯v f`À¶v- NnX¶v- bq_n làn]m]n kn^`n«v AsSms¡ tWm¡n¡*p. “”A¸w £fn¡v tfmsa,”” Aksa tWm¡n gmcn b_ªp. “”Wn³s_ bq_pw sNmSkpw sNmsX sbman¨p No_n¯^mw,”” “”S¶ntà Np®]pw sNm*v Wos]m¶pw CknXw kn«v tbmNnÃ, b_tª¡mw,”” bq_nt`¡v H^p kn^ NqXn NX¯ns¡m*v AkÄ b_ªp.

f\n¡q_pNÄ Wo* SnfÀ¯v Nmf^hw A_nªSnWp tlgw AkhmWw AkÀ khv{S§Ä V^n¨p. hv{SoNÄ ^*ptb^pw Sos^ Akl^m]n^p¶p. Kho´s] H^pfn¨p AWpekn¨SnWp tlgw A^f\n¡qs_¦n`pw Njnªm\v AkÀ C^pk^pw sZ]vhns] {bmbn¨Sv. Kho´]v¡v WÂNn]Sn³s_ C^«n DuÀÖkpw Bt^mPykpw WÂtN*n k¶p AkÀ¡v sZ]vhns] A¸sf¦n`pw SrbvSns¸Xp¯m³. At¸msjms¡ bp`v¸p_¯v bqÀ®WPvW]m]n D_§pN]m]n^p¶p Kho´. NmÀ A¦fm`n NX¶t¸mÄ Kho´ bj] lm^o^nN AkØ]nt`¡v fX§nk¶p. AkÄ¡v NYnWfm] NpätdmVw tSm¶n. B¬Np«nNÄ ^*ptb^pw fp¼n`m\v. sZ]vhn S³s_ fXn]n S`sk¨v D_§p¶p. Kho´]psX ssN fNapsX S`fpXn]n kmÕ`yt¯msX St`mXn. ssUktf, FWn¡v tSm¶p¶nÃ, S³s_]pw fNapsX]pw AhmVm^\fm] Nmfmhàn b^ni^n¡m³ VymWkpw ssh¡ym{Xn]pw c`{bU fmNpsf¶v. bs£ H¶n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv knlzmhfp*v. dmk³ F¶ Fjp¯pNm^WnÂ. N¼n¡p«³ sshän NTNÄ Fjp¯p¶ I{NkÀ¯n]nÂ. AfnSfm] Nmfmhàn]n Kok³ ks^ WãvXs¸Xpw F¶v- N^pSn] F{S hv{SoNsa A]mÄ ^£n¨n^n¡p¶p. ASm\v– S³s_ AkhmW B{l]w. At¸mÄ bp_¯pNqXn H^p Bwdp`³hv bmªptbmNp¶Sv Kho´ N*p. FknsX]m]n^n¡mw I{NkÀ¯ns]¶ dmk³ Ct¸mÄ? dmk³ At¸mÄ ssfhq^n Wn¶pw N®q^nt`¡v H^p tkmÄtkm dÊn ]m{S sI¿pN]m]n^p¶p. dhv B¸nÄ f^§Ä f^Wn^NÄ¡nX]n`qsX Wo§pt¼mÄ Uqs^ Np¶n³ fpNan H^p A¼`w tWm¡n Wn¡pN]m]n^p¶p A]mÄ. Np¶n³ fpNÄ Wn_s] Uobm`¦m^§Ä. kÃm¯ QWWnlÐS, As`uNnNmWpeqSn]m]n S¶n Wn_]p¶Sv tbms` A]mÄ¡v tSm¶n. k`n] F C Zn hv{NoWns` ssIWohv B£³ hnWnf H¶v- Wn¶n^p¶p F¦n B AWpeqSn]psX bqÀ®S fpjpkWpw AWpekn¡mfm]n^p¶p. f`fpNans` A¼`¯n Wn¶v- tWm«w fm_n]t¸mÄ N®pNÄ sIs¶¯n]Sv A¸p_s¯ sshZnt`¡m\v. AknsX]n^p¶v- H^p sb¬Np«n A]msa N®nf¡msS tWm¡p¶p. A]mÄ BUyw hwl]n¨p. Ss¶Ss¶]mt\m tWm¡p¶Sv? AtSm fäp kÃks^]pfmt\m? A]mÄ fpt¼m«pw bnt¼m«pw tWm¡n. Aà AkÄ tWm¡p¶Sv Ss¶]m\v. A]mÄ H¶v- bp©n^n¡m³ {lfn¨p. AkÄ ftWmi^fm]n bp©n^n¨p. sb¬Np«ns]¶v- b_]m³ bänÃ. bs£ B shuµ^yw A]msa A¼^s¸Xp¯n. F{S tW^fm]n Ak AknsXSs¶]n^n¡pN]m]n^p¶p. dhv ssfhq^n Wn¶v- bp_s¸«n«v Ct¸mÄ H^p f\n¡qÀ Njnªn^n¡p¶p. F¶n«v Ct¸mjm\v Sm³ Cksa Nm\p¶Sv. GtSm sI_pb«\sf¯n. AXp¯n^p¶p CX]v¡nsX S³s_ tSman CX]v¡nsX S`sk¨p f]§pN]m]n^p¶ fVyk]hv¡³ Sos¸mÅt`äSptbms` ImXns]jpt¶äp sbs«¶v- C_§nt¸m]n. ASnWp Nm¯n^p¶ns«¶tbms` f_p kl¯n^p¶ hpµ^n Fjpt¶äp A]mapsX AXp¯v k¶p. “”dmk³ hm_tÃ?”” AkapsX tUi¯v Wn¶v- sh]nt`m F¶ kntUl Caw sb^vcyqfn³s_ PÔw A]mans`¯n. NmfkÀ²nWn]m\v ASn³s_ f\w. bWnWoÀ¸qkpw IµWkpw h½n{lfm] PÔw. skap¯ tXm¸v B\v V^n¨n^n¡p¶Sv. fpt«m¸sf¯p¶ skap¯ h-vNÀ«pw. sI_n] N½Â fn¶n¯na§p¶p*v. bknjw B\sS¶v- A]mÄ AWpfmWn¨p. ftWmi^fm]n, {Xnw sI]vS bp^nN§Ä. Wo* fq¡v. ewPn]pÅ sI_n] Wmhm^{Ô§Ä. WkSm^p\y¯n³s_ FÃm fm{´nN emk§apw Bkmin¨ Wo*p knXÀ¶ {bNmln¡p¶ N®pNÄ. M^¼pNsa bo^¦nNam¡m³ tbm¶ SpXp¯ Ipk¶ AV^§Ä. tXm¸nWpÅn lzmhPSn]psX Smaf_nªv D]À¶ fm_nXw. h-vNÀ«nWp N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Smsj N®pNsa kn{efn¸n¡p¶ BNrSns]m¯ ftWmi^fm] Nm`pNÄ. “”AsS…Mm³ B\v dmk³…F§sW]_n]mw?”” AkÄ In^n¨p. ASv fsäm^p knhvf]w. tlzSkÀ®¯n³s_ AkhmW ]qWnäv In`t¸mÄ CkapsX bÃpNÄ Bkmw. In^n¨t¸mÄ AkÄ¡v bn¼n fjknÃpNÄ bq¯p`]p¶Sv tbms` tSm¶n A]mÄ¡v. bn¼n skap¯ In{Sl`e§Ä b_¶ptbmNp¶Sv N*Sv tSm¶`mt\m? A]mÄ hwl]n¨v tWm¡n. “”Mm³ CknsX C^pt¶ms«?”” AkapsX lÐfm]n^p¶p fsäm^p knhvf]w. hwPoSmßNw. In`t¸mÄ fsäm^p t`mN¯pWn¶v- k^p¶ tbms`. “”SoÀ¨]m]pw,”” A]mÄ A¸w NqXn HSp§n]n^p¶v AkÄ¡v Ø`sfm^p¡n. ASn³s_ Bklyfp*m]n^p¶nÃ. ^*ptbÀ¡v hpOfm]n ]m{SsI¿mkp¶ C^n¸nX§Ä B\v kl§anÂ. AkapsX WnSwd¯n³s_ knhvSrSn AVnNfp*m]n^ps¶¦n`pw. ^*ptbÀ¡v hpOfm]n ]m{S sI]mWpÅ Ø`w C^n¸nX§Ä¡p*m]n^ps¶¦n`pw AkÄ C^p¶t¸mÄ A]mapsX tSman AkapsX tSmÄ hvbÀln¨p. KoknS¯n ASn`pw frUpSzw Sm³ A_nªn«nà F¶v- A]mÄ¡v tSm¶n. ASok hpµ^n]m] H^p ]pkSn]psX hvbÀlw tk*¶v- sk¡m³ A]mÄ¡m]nÃ. A]mÄ tSmapNÄ fmän]nÃ. AenfmWw tSm¶n. knlzhpµ^ns]t¸ms` H^p sb®v- Ss¶ fp«n]p^p½n]n^n¡p¶p. fäpÅkÀ Nm\s«. A]mÄ IpäpfpÅks^ tWm¡n. AkÀ bs£ AsSm¶pw {l²n¡p¶Sm]n emkn¨nÃ. ASnl]N^fm] H^p Nm^yw AkapsX hvbÀlWw A]man`p*m¡n] fmäfm\v. M^¼pNÄ k`nªp fp_pNm³ SpX§n. A^s¡«n bmânhn³s_]N¯v koÀ¯p k^m³ SpX§n¡jnªp. Hm..ssUktf…C§sW H^p Nm^yw bSnkpÅSÃ. hv{SoNapsX hvbÀlWw A§sW A]msa D\À¯m_nÃ. hzemk¯n³s_ {btSyNS]m\v. bs£ Ct¸mÄ CkapsX hvbÀlWw fm{SfÃ, PÔw tbm`pw fUn¸n¡p¶p, Sbn¸n¡p¶p, tks_ GtSm H^p t`mNt¯¡v Nq«ns¡m*v tbmNp¶p. “”Wn§Ä¡v Fs¶ F§sW A_n]mw?”” A]mÄ ko*pw tImUn¨p. AkÄ A]msa tWm¡n bp©n^n¨p. A´^ma§ant`¡v Spa¨p N]_p¶, M^¼pNsa sbm«ns¨_n]p¶ bp©n^n. A^s¡«ns` fmwhNqXm^s¯ H¶v- AfÀ¯nknX\sf¶v- tSm¶n, A]mÄ¡v. AkÄ tWm«w fmän] H^p Wnfngw A]mÄ ASnWp tk*n Dbt]mPn¨p. Hm…Fs´m^p hpOw. “”Mm³ H^p bmXv km]n¡p¶ Bam\v–,”” AkÄ bp©n^nt]msX b_ªp. “”bs£ F³s_ bphvSN§Ä H¶pw A{S tbm¸p`_m]n«nÃ. Ak sdÌv shÃÀ AÃtÃm?”” “”sdÌv shÃ_mt\m Wà hminSyw?”” AkÄ Sn^n¨p tImUn¨p. “”H^p Fjp¯pNm^³ Ss¶ A§sW knlzhn¡p¶Sv UpON^fm\v,”” A]mÄ¡v BßWnµ tSm¶n. fäpÅk^psX In´Nsa N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Sm³ Np_¨pNm\m_nÃ. bs£ CknsX Cu sb¬Np«n]psX fp¼nÂ… “”Mm³ Wn§apsX bphvSN§apsX fm{Sw B^mVnN]Ã,”” AkÄ A]msa NphrSnt]msX tWm¡n. “”Wn§Ä H^p sshäns`jpSp¶ NTNapw Mm³ km]n¡m_p*v. B sshän Gäkpw Wà NTNÄ FjpSp¶]mÄ Wn§am\v. I{NkÀ¯n F¶ tb^nÂ,”” dhv H^p sNm¡]nt`¡v f_nªv SmWX¡fpÅ FÃm ]m{S¡m^pw f^n¡m³ At¸mÄ A]mÄ B{Pin¨p. Sm³ AÇo` sshän NTNÄ FjpSp¶psk¶v CkÄ F§sW]_nªp? CWn Np«³ Ckamt\m? AtSm ssb`n]mt\m CkÄ? F¶m`pw F§sW]m\v Np«Wpw ssb`n]pw Ss¶ A_n]p¶Sv? AkÀ¡v BsN]_n]mkp¶Sv S³s_ sc]v¡v sf]n sF Zn fm{Sfm\v. bns¶ F§sW CkÄ A_nªp Sm³ I{NkÀ¯n F¶ tb^n N¼nNp«³ sshän NTNÄ FjpSp¶p*v F¶v-? “”At¿m, hm_v kngfn¡*,”” A]mapsX fpOs¯ KmayS {l²n¨psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp. “”B sshäns` NTNÄ km]n¡p¶ Bam\v– Mm³ F¶v- b_]p¶Sn FWn¡v kngfw CÃtÃm…bns¶ FjpSp¶ BÄ F´nWm\v kngfn¡p¶Sv?”” AkapsX km¡pNÄ A¨Xn emgtbms`]m\v. tb¸_n tWm¡n km]n¡p¶ {bSoSn. “”F§sW fWÊn`m]n ASv…Mm³ B sshän`pw NTNÄ FjpSp¶p*v F¶v-?”” AkÄ bp©n^n¨p. bns¶ A]mapsX fpO¯v tWm¡n. “”hm_n³s_ AkhmWs¯ bphvSNw “”t£men¡p¶k^psX hpkntlgw”” F¶ tWmk AtÃ? ASn H^p t{chv D*v. “”in¸n sdmiofn]³ `p¡v.”” AsS {bt]mPw Ss¶ sshäns`jpSn] “”knÃyw t`mZvKns` ^m{SnNÄ”” F¶ NT]n D*v. bns¶ hm_n³s_ tks_m^p tWmk`m] “”^m{Sn hq^y”” Wn C§sW km]n¡mw: “”fª In{Sl`e§Ä AkapsX Ipäpw Wr¯w sI¿pt¼mÄ i^nNrgv\³ k]Wn`ns` A]mapsX AkhmW hwPoSkpw km]n¨pNjnªn^p¶p.”” hmÀ sshäns`jpSn] “”tPmbnN]psX bN¡nWmkpNÄ”” F¶ NT]n “”fªIn{S l`e§Ä ^knl¦_n³s_ PnämÀ hwPoS¯nWv Ipäpw Wr¯w sI¿pt¼mÄ fmÀPs^äv D_¡¯n Wn¶p\À¶p.”” CSptbms` Nps_ dnwd§Ä, hqIWNÄ, emg]ns` hmUrly§Ä…A§sW H^pbmXp*v. Hjp¡³ f«n km]n¨p knXp¶kÀ AsSm¶pw {l²n¡nÃ. bs£ ho^n]hv km]W B\v F³s_Sv–. ¢mÊn¡Â hminSykpw A¯^w sshänt` NTNapw. FWn¡v fWÊn`mNpw,”” A]mÄ¡v AUvepSw tSm¶n. AktamXv– A¸w dipfmWkpw. Cksat¸ms` hpµ^nsb®p§apw N¼nNp«³ sshäns` NTNapsX km]W¡mÀ Bt\m? A]mÄ ASnl]n¨p. At¸mÄ ASn FjpSp¶ t`O , AWpgm , hKnWn tUkn , hvfnS, Whod Cks^ms¡ l^n¡pw hv{SoNÄ Ss¶]mk\w. AtSmÀ¯t¸mÄ Ss¶ A]mapsX A^s¡«nt` koÀ¸v NW¯p. AkÀ B NTNÄ Hs¡FjpSpt¼mÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv knNm^kSnNamkptfm? AkÀ¡v tUiw IqXv bnXn¡p¶p*m]n^n¡ntà shN-vhv FjpSt¼mÄ? Nan ho³ Hs¡ FjpSpt¼mÄ AkÀ Fs´ms¡]m]n^n¡pw V^n¡pN? {dm]pw bm³äohpsfms¡ AXn]n C«mt\m AkÀ FjpSpN? H¶pw V^n¡msS FjpSp¶k^pw Nm\ptfm? N«n`n Nfnjv¶p NnX¶v- bq_p S`]n\]psX fpNan AfÀ¯nsk¨v, fsäm^p S`]n\sNm*v fp`NÄ AfÀ¯ns¡m*v …N¼nho³ Hs¡ FjpSpt¼mÄ CX]v¡nsX Ak^psX kn^`pNÄ N´ns`¡v tbmNm_p*mkntÃ? Ahiyfm] hpOw Nm^\w kas^ tW^w N´n`pw bq_n`pw Hs¡ l^n¡v sM¡n, AfÀ¯n, M^Xn¡jnMmkntà AkÀ FjpSp¶Sv? AWqg]pw hvfnS]psfms¡ B¬ Fjp¯pNms^t¸ms`]m\v Nan hoWpNÄ FjpSp¶Sv. Sm³ CSpks^ N^pSn]n^p¶Sv– AkÀ l^n¡pw bp^pg Fjp¯pNmÀ F¶m\v. Aà tlmem tZ]pw Nf`mUmhpsfms¡ b¨]v¡v shN-vhv FjpSn]n«ntÃ? ASpw sc]v¡v sF Zn Dbt]mPn¡msS? A^pÔSn t_m]ns] FÃmk^pw A_n]pw. Ak^psX tPmZv Hmcv hvfmÄ Sn§vhn³s_ AkhmWs¯ A²ym]w SWn N¼n]tÃ? Ct¸mÄ H^p Nm^yw SoÀ¨]m]n. CSptbms` sI_p¸Nm^n]m] H^p hpµ^n Sm³ AÇo` NTNÄ km]n¡m_p*v F¶v- b^hyfm]n b_]pt¼mÄ B Fjp¯pNmÀ SoÀ¨]m]pw hv{SoNÄ Ss¶]m]n^n¡pw. AWqgt]t]m t`Ot]t]m H¶v sf]n`n`qsX b^nI]s¸Xm³ Njnsª¦nÂ…Whod]pw hKnWntUkn]psfms¡ S³s_ hpir¯p¡Ä B]n^psW¦nÂ! tUiw fpjpk³ IqXv bnXn¨Sv sNm*v AkapsX l^o^¯n³s_ fmÀUkw S^p¶ hpOw A]msa Sbn¸n¨p. A¸w NqXn AfÀ¶n^n¡m³ A]mÄ sNmSn¨p. A]mapsX fWÊv km]n¨ns«¶tbms` AkÄ A]mtamXfÀ¶p. At¸mÄ AkapsX tUi¯n³s_ Sm^p\yw ASn³s_ SpXn¸v, frUpSzw Hs¡ A]mÄ¡v A_n]m³ bän. S³s_ t^mf§Ä D\^p¶p. M^¼pNÄ kn_sNmÅp¶p. hnºv GSp Wnfngkpw sbm«n¯NÀ¯psNm*v Np® skan]nt`¡v k^mw… CsS´m C§sW? hv{SoNtamXv AXp¯nXbjNpwtbmÄ H^n¡`pw C§sW hwekn¡m_nÃ. `Ömlo`Wm\v Sm³. Fjp¯pNm^³ F¶v- fmVyf§apw hpir¯p¡apw Ss¶ kmjv¯m_*v. F¦n`pw Wà eÀ¯mkv, Wà A¨³ F¶ tb^nWpw H^p ewPkpw hwekn¨n«nÃ. GsS¦n`pw hv{SoNÄ S³s_ tWm«sSt]m emks¯t]m sSänV^n¨n«nÃ. B BÄ B\v Ct¸mÄ hnºv sbm«n¨p Np® bp_t¯¡v kt¶¡ptfm F¶v- e]s¸Xp¶Sv! H^p hpµ^ns¸®v- H¶v- hvbÀln¨t¸mtj¡pw! “”hmÀ sshän FjpSp¶ NTNÄ ]TmÀ° hwek§sa tdhv sI]vSmt\m?”” AkÄ tImUn¨p. B tImUyw A]mÄ {bSo£n¨nÃ. “”fnhv–..thm_n ..Mm³ CSpks^]pw Wn§apsX tb^v tImUn¨nÃ..”” “”ChsdÃ,”” AkÄ bp©n^n¨p. “”Chsdà sÌcmtWm,”” ChsdÃ…A]mÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv f{´n¨p. ssUk¯nWp hfÀ¸n¡s¸«kÄ. hpµ^fm] tb^v. “”fn¡ NTNapsX]pw tdhv _n] ss`cnsW tdhv sI]vSmNpw ChsdÃ. H^p C^pbSv fp¸Sv lSfmWkpw,”” “”hm_n³s_ NTNan FÃmw Ss¶ Wà KokWpÅk]m\v.”” “”Nwdn¡p«³ sshän FjpSp¶ NTNsa¡p_n ¨mt\m ChsdÃm tImUn¡p¶Sv–?”” AktamXv– N¼n F¶v- b_ªt¸mÄ A^s¡«ns` fp_p¡w H¶pNqXn kÀVn¡p¶Sv A]mÄ A_nªp. AkapsX klyfm] shuµ^ykpw B km¡ns` AÇo`kpw hrãvXn¡p¶ H^p S^n¸n³s_ fnN-vhv …A]mÄ HmÀ¯p. “”AsS..hmÀ ..hÀ N¼n¡p«Wn FjpSp¶ N¼n¡TNsa¸än Ss¶]m\v Mm³ b_]p¶Sv,”” B km¡pNÄ AkÄ D^pknXpt¼mÄ A]mÄ AkapsX frUpkm] Ipk¶ AV^¯nt`¡v Ss¶ tWm¡n. AkapsX tUi¯n³s_ frUpSzw ko*pf_n]m³ A]mÄ A¸w NqXn Akant`¡v AfÀ¶p. CX]v¡v AkapsX SpXNan Wn¶v- tXm¸v kjpSnfm_n. AkapsX sNmjp¯ skap¯ ewPn]mÀ¶ SpXNant`¡v tWm¡tk CWn D\^m³ S³s_ tUi¯v M^¼pNÄ dm¡n]nà F¶v- A]mÄ¡v SoÀ¨]m]n. S³s_ sSm* k^ap¶Spw tUi¯v Dgv\hw{Nf\¯n³s_ tkPw NqXpN]pw sI]vSp. S³s_ SpXNÄ A]mÄ¡v fp¼n AWmkrSfm]sSm¶pw AkÄ {l²n¨n«nÃ. CWn H^p FN-vhndngWnÌv hzemkfpÅ Np«n]m]n^n¡ptfm CkÄ? N®pNapw fpOkpw N*m H^p fm`mO Np«ns]t¸m`p*v. CWn FN-vhndngWvÌv B]m`pw Npj¸fnÃ. SWn¡v AÊ tkm]_nÌv BNmsf¦n AkÄ¡v FN-vhndngWnÌv B]n¡qsX? A]msa ASnl]s¸Xp¯n] H^p Nm^yw hfob¯v C^p¶kÀ H^mapw AkapsX SpXNant`¡v tWm¡p¶nà F¶Sm\v. §vti? dhv A£mwl t^ONÄ NX¶v- ]qt_m¸n`qsXt]m Atf^n¡]n`qsXt]m HmXm³ SpX§nt]m? C´y F¶v fpS`m\v–, Aà tN^ao]³ F¶v- fpS`m\v– HanªptWm«w WnÀ¯n]Sv? ]m{S¡m^n dipeq^nb£kpw tN^ao]^m\v F¶v- A]mÄ A_nªn^p¶p. C´y]n Aktlgn¡p¶ GN HanªptWm«¡m^³ Ìoc³ fmWpk F¶ dmk³ ASm]Sv Mm³ fm{Sfmt\m? “”DUmi^\¯nWv hm_n³s_ NTNans` hv{So. fn¡km_pw FÃm hv{SoNapw hz]wtemPw sI¿p¶kÀ B\v F¶v- Nm\mw. AkÀ hz]wtemPw sI¿p¶ ^oSn km]n¡pt¼mÄ ASv FjpSn]Sv H^p hv{So Fjp¯pNm^n]m\v F¶v- tSm¶nt¸mNpw. A{S _n]`nÌnNv co D*v. F§sW]m\v B H^p AWpeqSn hmÀ Fjp¯n hrãvXn¡p¶Sv?”” FSm]m`pw CkÄ Sp_¶m\v hwhm^n¡p¶Sv. Sm³ F´nWv f_sk¨p hwhm^n¡\w? A]mÄ HmÀ¯p. “”Mm³ b_]mw, ChsdÃ,”” A]mÄ b_]m³ SpX§n. “”CX]v¡v hwl]w k¶m F³s_ b_¨n`n³s_ cvt`m tbmNpsf¶v- tbXns¡m¶pw tk*, ssV^yfm]n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv tImUn¡mw,”” “”SoÀ¨]m]pw hmÀ,”” AkÄ sbs«¶v- h-vNÀ«v SpX]ns`s¡Xp¯n«p. “”F³s_ Nm`pNÄ C§sW WyqZv– B]n^n¡pkm¶p Mm³ A_nªnÃ, hmÀ..hm_nsWt¸ms` H^pbmXv dipfmWn¡p¶ H^mapsX fp¼n Nm`pw SpX]pw Hs¡ Nm\n¨v…sFw thm_n…”” “” FWn¡Sv {blvWfnÃ…ChsdÃ]psX Nm`pNÄ¡v Wà ewPn]p*v…Mm³ N*n^p¶p,”” A]mÄ¡v knlzhn¡mWm]nÃ. Sm³ B km¡pNÄ l^n¡pw b_tªm Cu hpµ^nt]mXv–? “”hm_nsWt¸ms` fWpgyfWÊnsW C§sW Zo¸v B]n bYn¡p¶ NTmNm^³ F³s_ Nm`n³s_ ewPns]¡p_n¨v b_]pt¼mÄ kÃm¯ ^p hpOw tSm¶p¶p. In{SNm^³s_ fp¼n tfmZ`m]n Wn¡m_pÅ hv{SoNantà …cpÄ WyqZv– B]n. k`n] {blhvS^m] In{SNm^³fm^psX fp¼n A§sW Wn¡m³ hv{SoNÄ¡v AenfmWfm\v,”” “”H^p {blhvSIn{SNm^Wm]n KWn¨n^ps¶¦nÂ!”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. Akapw. “”hm_n³s_ NTNÄ¡v emkn]n Mm³ kng]w BkpN]ms\¦n hm_n³s_ fp¼n cpÄ WyqZv– B]n Wn¡m³ FWn¡v h½Stf]pÅq,”” A]mÄ AkapsX fm_nt`¡v tWm¡n. AkapsX fpO¯ns` Wngv¡a¦ ewPn]pw skÅm^w N®pNan SpXn¡p¶ ssUknNfm] fmhvf^nNS]pw fm_nX¯n³s_ Hu¶Sy¯nWp H«pw tI^p¶nÃ. A{Stf D]À¶p sbm§n AS§nsW Sp_n¨p Wn¡pN]m\v. A]mÄ S³s_ fm_nt`¡v tWm¡p¶Sv N*v– Chsdà bp©n^n¨p. ssUktf, fp`Nans`¡v tWm¡pt¼mÄ H^p sb®v- bp©n^n¨m F´m\v ASn³s_]À°w? Cu Np«n CWn fäpkÃ…? ti]v…H^n¡`pfnÃ. B fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n]m A_n]mw Wngv¡a¦]m\v, hzemklp²n]pÅkÄ Bs\¶v. F¦n`pw AkapsX B bp©n^n A]msa knNm^ knklWm¡n. A]mÄ¡v bmânhnWN¯v Np® fp^*p hvO`n¨p F¶v- tSm¶n. In`t¸mÄ Sm³ hzbvWw Nm\pN]mkmw. Asæn F§sW]m\v H^p ASnhpµ^n]m] sb¬Np«n St¶mXv C{S]pw AXp¸t¯msX shuirUt¯msX CXbjNp¶Sv? ASpw GSmWpw Wnfng§Ä fp¼v fm{Sw N*pfp«n] H^p fVyk]hv¡tWmXv? ASnhpµ^n F¶v- b_t]* Nm^yfnÃ. hpµ^n]Ãm¯ sb¬Np«nNÄ A§sW b_]pw Asæn kn^qbNam] hv{SoNÄ A§sW b_]pw F¶tà ASnWÀ°w? H^n¡`pfnÃ. ChsdÃm, Fjp¯pNm^³ F¶m ssUkw B\v F¶v- Wo N^pSp¶pt*m Np«o? H^p knNm^kpw tSm¶mSn^n¡m³? Fs¶ N*m knNm^ ^inSWm\v Fs¶ tSm¶q. Npän¯mXn]pw A¸w Wo* fpXn]njNapw N®X]pw C^p* gÀ«pw N_p¯ bm³_vhpw Hs¡ Nm\pt¼mÄ ¢nt]mbm{X bqÀ®WPvW]m]n fp¼n k¶mÂt¸m`pw `nwtPm²m^\w hwekn¡m¯]mÄ Ft¶ sSm¶q. bs£ WnW¡_n]nÃ, CknsX, Cu hoänÂ, Wn³s_]Xp¯v, N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv F³s_ Np® k`nªv fp_pNn fp^*v NqXpsbm«n¨p bp_¯pImXm³ H^p§n]n^n¡p¶ knk^w… “”ChsdÃ]v¡v kngffmt]m Mm³ A§sW…A§sW ..tWm¡n]SnÂ?”” ko*pw AkapsX fp`Nans`¡v tWm¡n A]mÄ tImUn¨p. A]mÄ AkapsX fp`Nant`¡pw N®pNant`¡pw fm_n fm_n tWm¡ns¡m*v tImUn¨p. bns¶ AkÄ Nm¬sN A]mÄ A^s¡«n koÀ¯p Wn_ª fpj]n bnXn¨fÀ¯n. “”kngfw CÃ, hmÀ,”” AkÄ SpXNÄ tIÀ¯v sM^n¨psNm*p b_ªp. “”hmÀ Fs¶ tWm¡n]Sv H«pw Up^ptVlt¯msX]à F¶v- FWn¡_n]mw,”” A]mÄ bp©n^n¨p. “”Wfp¡nãfnÃm¯kÀ tWm¡pt¼mÄ sSmXpt¼mÄ Hs¡]m\v Wfp¡v {blvWw. hÀ bs£ A§sW AÃtÃm. {blhvSWm] Fjp¯pNm^³. Mm³ Bs\¦n F´m b_]pN…B^mVW fq¯ H^p km]W¡m^n]pw…”” AkÄ bp©n^nt]msX b_ªp. “”CãfnÃm¯ tWm«w. sSmXÂ. bnXn¡Â CsSms¡ Db{Ukw Ss¶]m\v hmÀ,”” AkÄ SpXÀ¶p. “”Db{Ukw…H¯n^n dhv ]m{S sI¿p¶]msa¶ Wn`¡v B Db{Ukw FWn¡v bpSpf]Ã.”” AkapsX fpO¯v H^p kngmU¨m] Wn_ªp. “”tWm¡q, hmÀ, Sm¦Ä Fjp¯pNm^³ B\v. hmVm^\ fWpgy³ AÃ. hmVm^\ fWpgyÀ¡p*mkp¶ M^¼v t^mP§sam¶pw Fjp¯pNmÀ¡v, {btSyNn¨v hm_nsWt¸ms` fimWm] H^p Fjp¯pNm^Wv D*mknà F¶v- D_¨v knlzÊn¡p¶kam\v Mm³. ASpsNm*v FWn¡v F³s_ sb\vhpir¯ntWmXv b_]p¶ `mQkt¯msX FWns¡´pw b_]mw. ASm\v– Mm³ C§s]ms¡ b_]p¶Sv.”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”Db{Ukw F¶v sk¨m sSmX`pw bnXn¡`pw Hs¡ ..”” A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”AsS hmÀ, In`t¸mÄ Wn¶v- ]m{S sIt¿*n k^m_p*v. At¸mÄ B\v M§Ä l^n¡pw Nq«fm] B{Nf\¯nWv kntV]^mkp¶Sv,”” “”B{Nf\w F¶v- b_]mtfm? bp^pghvbÀlw h½Sn¡p¶ Cãs¸Xp¶kÀ D*v,”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”B]n^n¡mw. FWn¡v In`t¸mÄ Cãfm]n^n¡mw. F³s_ hpir¯nWv Cãfm]n^n¡mw. F¶v- sk¨p Db{Uktf¡p¶ FÃm sb¬Np«nNapw CãvXs¸Xp¶p F¶v- hmÀ N^pSp¶pt*m? b`À¡pw H¶mßiSy sI¿m³ Njnsª¦n F¶ In´]m]n^n¡pw hÀ. CãfnÃm¯kÀ, CãfnÃm¯ hf]¯v, CãfnÃm¯ emP¯v sSmXp¶Sv Cãs¸Xp¶ H^p hv{So]pw F³s_ A_nkn CÃ,”” dmk³ HmÀ¯p: Ss¶ AtWzgn¨p k¶ H^p NT]m\v CkÄ F¶m\v BUyw N^pSn]Sv. bs£ Ss¶ cnt`mhcn bYn¸n¡m³ N¨sN«n]n_§n]n^n¡]mt\m fªn³s_ hvbÀlfpÅ Cu hpµ^n? “”hmÀ FknsX C_§p¶p?”” “”Cu dhv N®q^v ks^]tÃ? bns¶ B`pk]v¡v tbmN\w. s{X]nWnÂ. bns¶ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AknXp¶v AXnfm`n]nÂ. H^p hpir¯nsW Nm\m³,”” “”AXnfm`n]n Wn¶v- hq^ysWÃn]v¡v H^pbmXv Uq^fnÃ,”” AkÄ b_ªp. “”AknsX Sm¦sa¡m¯v H^p t^mPn Aà ^*pt^mPnNÄ. H^p Kho´]pw tZ]vhn]pw,”” dmk³ Aksa AUvepSt¯msX tWm¡n. “”fWÊn`m]nÃ,”” Chsdà In^n¨p. “”Sm¦Ä H^p tZmNvä_pw NqXn]m\v,”” In^n¡nX]n AkÄ b_ªp. “”FÃm Wà Fjp¯pNms^]pw tbms`. tZmÎÀ…”” AkapsX In^n ko*pw D¨¯n`m]n. A{S D¨¯n`pÅ In^n fämapNÄ tN«m F´v N^pSpw Ft¶mÀ¯v dmk³ b^n{efn¨p. A]mÄ Ipäpw tWm¡n. F¶m B^pw Ss¶ Akant`m AkapsX D¨¯n`pÅ In^n]nt`m {btSyNw {l²s]m¶pw sNmXp¡p¶nà F¶v- A]mÄ BÝ^yt¯msX fWÊn`m¡n. “”H^½]pw fNapfm\v. Ak^psX t^mPw Aks^ SNÀ¯v S^n¸\fm¡m³ hmVyS]p*v….”” “”bs£ Mm³…”” “”hmÀ AWpknsW ^£s¸Xp¯n]ntÃ? sKhns] ^£s¸XpSn]ntÃ? B f^p¶v-…ASm\v– hmÀ…MmWo¸_ª A½]v¡pw fNÄ¡pw tk*Sv…”” B km¡pNÄ dmksWs]¯n¨Sv AW¸fm] BÝvI^y¯nt`¡m\v. dhv H^p sI_pb«\¯n WnÀ¯n. Akan Wn¶v- S³s_ fnjn¨ fpOw fmäpkm³ tk*n dmk³ A¸ hf]w bp_t¯¡v Sn^n¨p. bns¶ AkapsX tWs^ Sn^nªt¸mÄ hoäv lqWyfm]n^n¡p¶Sv A]mÄ N*p. sbs«¶v- A]mapsX hoäv `£yfm¡n H^p {NnhvSy³ bpt^minS³ kmSn¡ Wn¶v- WX¶Xp¡p¶Sv dmk³ N*p. ChsdÃs] Nm\m³ A]mÄ Ipäpw tWm¡n. A]mÄ Aksa AknsX N*nÃ.