^mKn A£ft]msX dmdpknsW Nm¯n^p¶p. k^m´]n Nth^]n Nth^]n`n^p¶v- AkÄ bp_t¯ Wn`knt`¡v tWm¡n]n^p¶p. l^o^w Ip«psbmÅpN]m\v. M^¼pNÄ k`nªvfp_pNn GSv tW^kpw sbm«ns¯_n¡p¶ bmNfm]n«p*v. kÃm¯ Umiw F{S Sk\ skÅw NpXn¨psk¶v AkÄ¡v WnÝ]fp*m]nÃ. Wo^KnsW hz]wtemPw sI¿n¨Sv, ASpNjnªv ftignsW N*Sv, AsSÃmw AkapsX knNm^w kÃmsS]na¡n. B HmÀ½]n AkÄ ssWän¡v fpNan`qsX bq_n³s_ emP¯v H¶v- Sn^p½n. “”tfmsa´m NnX¡ms¯?”” sbs«¶v- bn¼n Wn¶v- dmdpkn³s_ A¨³ bUvfWme³s_ lÐw AkÄ tN«p. AkÄ sbs«¶v- ssN bn³k`n¨p A]msa tWm¡n. A]mapsX UoÀQ^qbw AkapsX bn¼n k¶p Wn¶p. AXp¯pk^pt¼mÄ Wà IµW¯n³s_, ^p{Um£¯n³s_ PÔfm\v tf khv{Sw V^n¡m¯ Bt^mPUrZPm{SWm] S³s_ A½m]nAÑWn Wn¶pw F¶v- ^mKn A_nªp. fpNans` bj]sS¦n`pw D_¸pÅ, CuXpÅ, bj]f«n b\nS koXn³s_ Njpt¡m`pNÄ UrZfm] ssNNapsX N^p¯v HmÀ½s¸Xp¯n. skÅnk^NÄ kos\¦n`pw Wà ewPn]pÅ CXSqÀ¶ fpXn. ASv Ft¸mjs¯]pw tbms` Wà BNÀgNfm]n IoNn sk¨n^n¡p¶p. ¢o³ tgkv B\v Ft¸mjpw. skän` fp_p¡v CÃ, bpNk`n]nÃ, fUybmWfnÃ. Ft¸mjpw skap¯ fp*pXp¯v, tSman skap¯ H^p tSmÀ¯pfp*n«psNm*v H^p N^ {bfm\ns]t¸ms` UoÀQ^qbn]m] bUvfWme³ WX¶p tbmNpt¼mÄ BapNÄ Ahq]t]msX tWm¡n Wn¡pw. ^mKn AÑsW¡*p sbs«¶v- Nth^]n Wn¶v- ImXns]jpt¶äp. “”dmdptk«³ k¶nÃtÃm AÑm. A½]pw CknXnÃ. kÃSpw fn*ow b_ªpw C^n¡mw F¶v sk¨m Pn^ogpw CknXnÃ. ASpsNm*v D_¡w k^p¶nÃ,”” A]mÄ Aksa tWm¡n bp©n^n¨p. bp©n^n A]mapsX Pmweo^yw Nq«n]msS]pÅq. “”N`ym\w Njnªn«nt¸mÄ sNm_¨tÃ]m]pÅq tfmsa. At¸mÄ FÃm^pw A§sW]m,”” A]mÄ b_ªp. “”FÃm^pw F¶v- b_]*.”” Nth^]n Sn^nsN]n^p¶psNm*v ^mKn b_ªp. “”dmdptk«³s_ Nm^y¯n Hjn¨v,”” “”AsS´m tfmsa A§sW b_sª,”” AkapsX N®pNan tWm¡n A]mÄ tImUn¨p. ^mKn¡v hwl]w tSm¶n. A¨³ S³s_ tUit¯¡v Iqjv¶p tWm¡p¶pt*m? AkÄ A]mÄ Nm\msS N®pNÄ Smjv¯n fm_nt`¡v tWm¡n. Culz^m, sk_psS]Ã. H^p gmÄ CsX*mSm]n^p¶p. ssWän¡v fpNan`qsX S³s_ AhmfmWy k`n¸fpÅ fp`NÄ A§sW Sp_n¨p koÀ¯p NnX¡p¶Sv BÀ¡pw Nm\mw. kas^ t`m N«v ssWän]m]mSnWm S³s_ k`n] ¢otkKpw bp_¯p Nm\mw. AkÄ AknsX ssNsNm*v f_¨p. bUvfWme³ ASv N*v– In^n¨p. “”H^p gmÄ C«m N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv tbm^m^pt¶m tfmsa.”” A]mÄ At§m«p tWm¡n tImUn¨p. “”AtS, AÑm, W½psX hz´w koXtÃ. CknsX]nt¸mÄ W½Ä ko«pNmÀ fm{Sftà DÅq. ASpsNm*m Mm³ gmÄ CXms¯,”” “”W½Ä ko«pNmÀ fmt{S DÅq,”” bUvfWme³ b_ªp. “”bns¶ F´nWm tfmav sfmt`sX tf¯v ssNsk¨v f_]v¡m³ tWm¡ps¶? ASpsNm*tà A¨³ A§sW b_sª?”” ^mKn sbs«¶v- ssN bn³k`n¨p. “”ssN sk¡`pw bn³k`n¡`pw B\tÃm…”” A]mÄ ko*pw In^n¨p. ^mKn]v¡v F{S {lfn¨n«pw A]mtamXv Wo^hw tSm¶n]nÃ. ASv Aksa ASv–epSs¸Xp¯pN]pw sI]vSp. kas^ hzmemknNsft¶m\fm\v A]mÄ b_]p¶Sv. fm{Sfà b_ªpNjnªv In^n¡pt¼mÄ ASn AÇo`tfm Bemhtfm Aà f_n¨v H^p {btSyN Pmweo^yfm\v AkÄ N*Sv. “”At¿, Cu A¨³…!”” Akapw In^n¨p. “”F´m tfmsa?”” “”A_o¯ntÃ?”” A]mÄ H¶pw A_n]m¯]msat¸ms` Aksa tWm¡n. “”CÃ, F´m? tfmÄ b_]q,”” “”H¶qÃ,”” tk* tk* FWns¡Ãmw fWÊn`m]n F¶ AÀ°¯n In^n¨psNm*v AkÄ b_ªp. “”F´m]m`pw b_ tfmsa,”” A]mÄ t{bmÕmin¸n¨psNm*v b_ªp. ‘CknXn¸w fn*ow b_ªpw C^n¡m³ MmWpw Wo]pw fm{Sktà DÅq. FWns¡m¶v- fn*\w F¶v- sk¨m bßnWn CknsX CÃ. Wn³s_ Nm^y¯n dmdqw CÃ. ASpsNm*v b_,”” sbs«¶v- ^mKn¡v kngfw tSm¶n. F¶pw A¯mj¯nWv fp¼pw tlgkpw bUvfWmeWpw bßnWn]pw k^m´]n`n^p¶p kas^ tW^w kÀ¯fmWw b_]pfm]n^p¶Sv AkÄ HmÀ¯p. AÑWv F{S {bn]s¸«Sm]n^p¶p ASv F¶v- At±i¯n³s_ km¡pNan Wn¶v- kyàfmNp¶p. bßnWn AhpOfm]n NnX¡p¶ fq¯ htimU^sW Nm\pkm³ tbm]n^n¡pN]m\v. “”b_, tfmsa´nWm In^nt¨?”” “”ASv…A¨³ b_ªntà Mm³ ssN sk¡`pw bn³k`n¡`pw B\v F¶v-…ASv HmÀ¯t¸mÄ ….”” bUvfWme³ AUvepSs¸«p. “”Hm, AtSm ..ASn`n¸w In^n¡m³ F´m…§vim Mm³ H¶v- HmÀ¡s«…FknsX]m tfmav ssN skt¨ …FknXp¶m tfmav ssN bn³k`ns¨..?”” A]mapsX N®pNÄ ko*pw AkapsX hfr²fm] fm_nX¯ns`¯n. AknsX Wn¶v- N®pNÄ fp`NapsX knXkpNant`¡pw. A]mapsX fXn]ns`¡pw A]mÄ tWm¡n. C¯k\ ^mKn `Ön¡mt\m ssN sNm*p S³s_ fmUNemP§Ä f_¨pbnXn¡mtWm {lfw WX¯n]nÃ. F´nWp {lfn¡\w? A¨³ Ss¶ b_ªp, hz´w ko«n sb\vNp«nNÄ¡v {co]m]n WX¡m³ bäntàbns¶ FknsX]m\v F¶v-. “”Hmtim..tim tim..”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”tfmav sNm¨psb®tà …? C^pbSv C^pbs¯m¶v N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv k]Êtà Bt]mÅq? Cu {bm]¯n hz´w sfmt`w sSmtXw I´ow H¶pw fämapNÄ tWm¡m³ H¶pw Wn§Ä CãvXs¸X¯nÃ. bs£ Cu tfmsat¸m`pÅ sb®p§Ä sfm`s]ms¡ Ft´m^w sbm¯n¸nXn¡m³ {lfn¨m`pw BÄNm^v tWm¡pw At{Sw SpXn¸pw ewPow Atà sfm`s¡ms¡!”” S³s_ fpjp¯v Sp_n¨ fm_nX¯nt`¡v tWm¡n]m\v A]mÄ b_]p¶sS¦n`pw sfZn¡Â t{bmcÊÀ Np«nNÄ¡v ¢msÊXp¡p¶ `mQkt¯msX]m\v hwhm^w. fm{SfÃ, Sm³ AsSms¡ CãvXs¸Xp¶psk¶pw AkÄ¡v tSm¶n. “”tfmsa´m dmdqsW¸än fpt¼ b_sª?”” AkÄ¡enfpOfm]n H^p Nth^ k`n¨n«v A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”AÃ, AÑm Cu dmdptk«³ Ft¶`pw tW^s¯ k¶Sv A¨³ N*n«pt*m?”” AkÄ tImUn¨p. AkapsX km¡pNans` AhioWS A]mÄ Sn^n¨_nªp. “”N`ym\w Njnªn«v Ct{Sw Unkhw Atà Bt]mÅq?”” bUvfWme³ Bt`mIWmfPvWWmkp¶Sv AkÄ N*p. “”MmtWm¶ktWmXv hwhm^n¡mw tfmsa. AtàbßnWn¡v bäoSv tbms` tfmÄ¡pw hwekn¡pw,”” ^mKn]vs¡m¶pw fWmÊn`m]nÃ. AkapsX fpO¯v Wnj`n¨ hwl]¯nt`¡v A]mÄ bp©n^nt]msX tWm¡n. “”Ftâw bßnWosXw N`ym\w WX¡p¼w FWn¡v sS^t¡mXv sS^¡m…”” dmdp tKm`n sI¿p¶ AWmfnNm Bt{Pm C³Zhv{Xohnt` fp³ fmtWKÀ B]n^p¶p bUvfWmeWpw. A]mÄ fm_n¡jnªp fpS`man dmdpknsW B ØmWSv Wn]fn¡pN]m]n^p¶p. “”fn¡t¸mjpw ^m{Sn kas^ sskNnt] k^m³ bä¯pÅq. fq¶m`v fmhw Njnªv H^p ^m{Sn F«pf\n¡v tW^s¯ k¶p….”” F«pf\n]mt\m tW^s¯ F¶v- Sn^n¨p tImUn¡\sf¶v- ^mKn¡v tSm¶n. “”ANt¯¡v tN_o¸w N*Sv F´m?”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. ^mKn BNmw£t]msX A]mapsX km¡pNÄ¡v Nm¯p. “”tfmtamXm] sNm*p b¨]v¡§p b_]mw…”” A]mÄ In^n SpXÀ¶p. “”MmWpw bßnWow sNX¡p¶ sdZn Nk Hs¡ sbman¨p knXÀ¯n sNX¡pkm bßnWn. AksX tf¯v sNX¶v- Wà AXn AXn¡pkm F³s_ Nq«pNm^³ tPmb³…”” ^mKn H¶v- e]¶vtbm]n. A§sW H^p hµÀew N×p¼n Nm\p¶ eÀ¯mkn³s_ hzmemknN {bSnN^\tfmÀ¯v. “”F¶n«v A¨³ …AÑsW´v– sI]vSp …?”” A]mÄ H^p Wnfngw Bt`m¨WmfmPvWWm]n. “”At¶^w B\v F³s_ em^y bßnWn¡v Ft´m^w Njs¸m*v F¶v- Mm³ fWÊn`m¡ns]. AksX Nj¸v SoÀ¯p sNmXp¡pkms¶mÅSv B^psX NXf]m? F³s_ NXf? A NXf sI]vtSm Mm³? CÃ. A¸w AS_nªv k¶p him]n¡pw FÃmw A_n]p¶ Wà Nq«pNmÀ. CknsX sSäv F³s_Sm. ASpsNm*v Ak^v Nan Njn]p¶ ks^ Mm³ k^ms´Â, CknsX Cu Ntht^ C^p¶p. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Nan Njnªv F_§n k¶¸w tPmb³ Fs¶ N*p. Ak³s_ tSmta bp¶m^n¨v bnXn¨v Ak³s_ sbm_¯v k`n] sfmt`w C«v H^¨v– bßnWow F_§n k¶p. sfm` F¶v- b_ªm tfmÄsX sfmt`sX At{Sw k^pw…”” ko*pw ^mÚn]psX fm_nXSnt`¡v S_¨p tWm¡n A]mÄ b_ªp. ^mKn H¶v- CaNn]n^p¶p. At¸mÄ sI_pSm]n AkapsX fp`NÄ H¶v- D]À¶v- Smjv¶p. “”At{Sw k`nt¸mw fpjp¸pw H*v. ASv ^*pw Ak³s_ sbm_¯v tIÀ¯v AfÀ¯n H^¨v– B\v Akav F_§n kt¶. Fs¶¡*v Ak^v sbs«¶v- AN¶v- fm_n. tPmb³ kna_n skap¯p. bßnWn tdmVw tbmNq¶m]n. “” “”F¶m H*v tPmbm kntlgw?”” Mm³ tImUn¨p. “”b¸m Mm³…”” Ak³ Wn¶v- kn¡n. km¡pNÄ H¶pw bp_t¯¡v k¶nÃ. “”tPmbWv Im] sNmXpt¯m b¸o?”” Mm³ bßnWnt]mXp tImUn¨p. kna_n skap¯v sINp¯msW fp¼n N*Sv–tbms` Wn¡pN]m\v bßnWn. “”Hm ..tPmb³ sWsW¡v Wà IqXv bm S¶p Nm\pw AtÃ?”” Mm³ In^n¨psNm*p tImUn¨p. sbs«¶v- bßnWn F³s_ Nm¡ ko\p, A`fp_]n«v N^ªpsNm*v. Mm³ Aksa bnXn¨p Fjpt¶¸n¨p. “”tPmb³ sbmt¡m, Wfp¡v bns¶ Nm\mw”” Mm³ tPmbtWmXv b_ªp. Ak³ S`]pw Smjv¯n fpä¯pNqsX NX¶ptbm]n. “”C¸w F³s_ ØmWSv AkWm..bßnWosX ØmWSv Wo]pw,”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”tbm AÑm Mm³ A§sW…”” ^mKn `Ön¨ptbm]n. “”A¨³ F¶n«v At½sW kj¡v b_tªm?”” AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”F´nWv?”” A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”tfmsa, Mm³ b_ªntÃ, ASv bßnWosX fm{Sw sSäÃ. sb®p§¡v ^*p km]p*v. fpO¯v H^p km. AknsX fm{Sw Soä sNmXp¯m tbm^m. Nks¡tX`pw H*v H^p km. AkntXw sNmXp¡\w Soä. Atàtks_ B¼ntÅ^p k¶v- SoäsNmXp¡pw. bßnWns] Soän¨tbms`,”” A¨³ b_]p¶ Nm^y§Ä, A]mÄ Dbt]mPn¡p¶ km¡pNÄ AkapsX l^o^¯n³s_ b` emP§sa]pw IqXv bnXn¸n¨p. hmVm^\ eÀ¯mknsâ A¨³fmÀ hmVm^\ hwhm^n¡m³ bmXnÃm¯ Nm^y§Ä B\v bUvfWme³ b_]p¶Sv. bs£ ^mKn]v¡v AsSm¶pw tfmlfm]n tSm¶n]nsöv fm{SfÃ, A¸w NqXn tNÄ¡pkm³ B{Pin¡pN]pw sI]vSp. “”tfmÄ¡v Cu {ZÊv Wà tIÀ¨]m,”” A]mapsX N®pNÄ ko*pw AkapsX fm_nsâ D¯pwPS]ns`¯n. “”dmdptk«³s_ tIm]nhm AÑm. C§Ws¯ {Zhv tk*m F¶v- b_ªSm,”” “”Bt\m, dmdq³s_ sh`£Wmt\m? B^v sh`Nväv sI]vSm`pw sNmj¸w CÃ. tfmÄsX shuµ^y¯nWp C§Ws¯ {Zhv Hs¡ WÃSm. AsS´m C§Ws¯ tk* F¶v- tfmÄ¡v tSm¶m³ Nm^\w?”” AkÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv bp_t¯¡v tWm¡n. Wn`mkn Npan¨v Wn¡p¶ Wm«pkjnNÄ knKWfm\v. ^m{Sn]psX f_kn {bNrSn sfuWn]m]n…. AkÄ B ssWän Nm¸mU¯n Wn¶p]À¯n. bUvfWme³s_ N®pNÄ AkapsX ewPn]pÅ bmU¯nt`¡v b_¶p. In{SNm^·mÀ¡v {bt`meWw WÂNp¶ bmU§Ä. AkÄ ssWän A¸m¸fm]n sbm¡n. NmÂfp«pks^ AkÄ ASv D]À¯n. bUvfWme³ DfnWo^n_¡n. A]mÄ A^]ns` fpj¸n ssN¯`w sNm*v AfÀ¯n. Nm`pNÄ¡v Fs´m^p AjNm\v. skap¯v Wo*v, WÀ¯Nn]psXt]m Nm]nNSm^¯n³s_t]m Nm`pNsa HmÀ½n¸n¡p¶ AjNv–. “”A¨³ Ct§m«v H¶v- tWm¡nt¡,”” D]À¯n] emPw Nm\n¨v AkÄ knlUoN^n¨p. “”CSpNt*m Cu emPs¯ Cu Znssh³ Nt*m? Bt^`pw N*m F´v N^pSpw?”” hv{So bp^pg³fmÀ Ipwdn¡p¶Sv– In{SoN^n¡p¶ Znssh³. “”Hm, ASnsWSm tfmsa? CSn F´m C{S Cgyq?”” “”Hm, bns¶. AÑWv A§sW b_]mw. ASv fm{SfÃ, AÑm, CknsX Bkly¯nWp C_¡w Ht*m?”” AkÄ Njp¯n³s_ emP¯v fp`NapsX knXkn sSm«psNm*v b_ªp. “”FknsX]m tfmta?”” “”CknsX]m AÑm,”” AkÄ knXknt`¡v kn^ C_¡n. “”Ct{Sw Hs¡ sSm_¶v Nm\n¡p¶ {Zhv..”” A]mÄ bp©n^n¨p. bns¶ bSnª lЯn In^n¨p. “”A¨³ F´nWm In^n¡ps¶?”” “”AÃ, B emP¯v tWm¡p¼w ^*p C^«sbä bntÅ^v Wn³s_ sW©n tIÀ¶v- sNX¡p¶ tbms` sSm¶pw tfmsa,”” AkÄ `Öt]msX S` NpWn¨p. “”Hm, At{Sw k`pSmt\m?”” `Ö skXnªv A]mapsX N®pNant`¡v tWm¡n AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”bn¶ntÃ, dmdp Wns¶ Nm\m³ k¶ntÃ? At¶^w sfmS Mm³ HmÀ¡p¶Sm. Wns¶ Wn³s_ ko«n N*¸w sfmSÂ,”” fp`¡ÃpNÄ SXn¨p koÀ¡p¶Sv AkÄ A_nªp. Ak ssWän¡v fpNan D^ªpsNmÅp¶Svtbms` AkÄ¡v tSm¶n. fp`¡ÃpNapsX bmXv ssWän¡v fpNan`qsX Nm\m³ Njn]p¶pt*ms]¶_n]m³ AkÄ fpOw Smjv¯n tWm¡n. D*v. bmXv D*v. fpOfp]^v¯n]t¸mÄ, fXn]n fpj¨p k`pSm] Np® SXkns¡m*v AsSms¡ hmNqSw ko£n¡p¶ bUvfWmemsW]m\v. “”F´v bäntfmsa?”” AkÄ Nm¬sN fXn]ns` NqXm^¯n AfÀ¯ns¡m*v A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”Hm…H¶pw bäoÃ..AÑm,”” fXn]n D]À¶v- Smjp¶ A]mapsX N¿nt`¡v tWm¡n AkÄ b_ªp. FWns¡Ãmw fWÊn`m]n F¶ AÀ°¯n A]mÄ Aksa tWm¡n. A]msa fpjp¯ Nmfw NojX¡n¡jnªn^n¡p¶p F¶v- ^mKn]v¡v D_¸m]n. CsS´m C§sW? Mm³ sIÃp¶nX¯v FknsX]pw NmfhpPÔw. ASnt¸mÄ hz´w AÑsâ, A½]psX, A½m]n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AÑsâ, eÀ¯mkn³s_ AWn]³s_ Nq«pNm^psX…. Wo^Kn³s_ Np® bnXn¨p AXn¨psNmXp¯Sv ^m{Sn]n`m]n^ps¶¦n Ct¸mÄ Ak³s_ bm`n³s_ bl¸v S³s_ bq_nSapsX AX^pNÄ¡pÅn tcmhn`nsâ ^qb¯n Nt*sW. lp¢ tcmhn`pNÄ. ssf^pNÄ fpjpkWpw Ak³s_ Np®]nän¨ sk®bXÀ¶v- NqXn¸nXn¨v AtQm_n hWymhnfm^psX KXbnXn¨ fpXntbms` tIÀ¶n^ps¶sW. AhwOyw bp^pg ssNNan`qsX NnS¨p NpSns¨¯n] NmtfmÀÖ¯m sNmjp¯pfpän] S³s_ bmÀÆS fp`NapsX frUp IÀ½¯nWv tf Wo^Kn³s_ bÃnsâ]pw WO§apsX]pw bmXpNÄ Nt*sW. bN GSv {bt`meW§sa]pw ASnKokn¡m³ SWn¡v Njn]pw. F¶m ^m{Sn! bänÃ. Wn`mkn eqfn C§sW NmfmhpPÔn]m]n Wn¡pt¼mÄ S³s_ AV^§Ä knSp¼n kn_]v¡pN]m\v, fp`NNÃpNÄ NphrSn]pw sbu^pgkpw Wn_ª H^p ssNNÄ¡pÅn sM^nªp sbm«m³ S^n¡pN]m\v. S³s_ BjfpÅ fp`knXkn C^p¼p N¼n]psX N^p¯nsW HmÀ½s¸Xp¯p¶ H^p Np® N]_n]n^§pkm³ sNmSn¡pN]m\v…..^m{Sn C§sW {b\]¯n³s_ hwPoS¯m Wn_ªmXpt¼mÄ Mm³ IqXv Wn_ª lЯn b_]p¶p: N^p¯Wm] bp^pgm k^q, Wn³s_ km]nÂ, bÃpNÄ¡nX]n F³s_ AV^s¯ NXn¨pfp_n¡q. F³s_ Njp¯v Wn_s] Wn³s_ DfvWo^nsâ hpPÔw Wn_]v¡q. F³s_ tfUÊnÃm¯ k]_nÂ, sbm¡nÄ s¡mXn]n Wn³s_ kn^`pNapsX, Wmknsâ hvbÀlW fm{´nNS Wn_]v¡q. ^m{Sn C§sW NmfmSp^]m]n F³s_ fp¼n Wn¡pt¼mÄ Alzm^q[Wm] NmftUkm lp¢fjsb¿msS N^nªp\§n] F³s_ ssf^pNÄ¡Xn]n fUK`¯n³s_ fimhmP^w hzbvWw N*psNm*v CSapNaX¨p NnX¡pN]m\v bq_v. Cu ^m{Sn C§sW {b\]bm^klySnsâ hN` emk§apw knXÀ¯n F³s_ fp¼n Wn_ªmXpt¼mÄ B^_n]p¶p F³s_ N´n³s_ tkUW… Mm³ …^m{Sn]psX ^mKNpfm^n. A½]psX Nm^yw b_ªt¸mjm\v ^mKn sbs«¶Sv HmÀ½n¸n¨Sv. “”At¿m, AÑm, A½ F¶pw AÑsâ Nm`p Sn^p½n¯^p¶StÃ. A½]nWn C¶v- k^nÃtÃm…At¸mÄ..”” dmdpkn³s_ A½ AhpOfm]nNnX¡p¶ fq¯htimU^sW hµÀln¡p¶SnWm]n tbm]n^n¡pN]m\v. fn¡km_pw AXp¯ Unkhw sskNpt¶^tf Sn^ns¨¯m³ hmVyS]pÅq. “”Hm, AsSm¶pw hm^fnà tfmsa,”” bUvfWme³ b_ªp. “”ASv l^n]mNnà AÑm, F¶pw sNmj¼n«v Sn^p½p¶Stà A½. B bSnkv sSän¡*, A¨³ fp_ot`m«v sbmt¡m. Mm³ tcm¬ Aä³Zv sI]vSn«v C¸w k^mw,”” AN¯p Wn¶v- sX`ntcm¬ lÐnNp¶p*m]n^p¶p. ^mKn tkPw _nhokÀ FXp¯v NmSn tIÀ¯p. “”ti! dmdptk«Wmt\m? CsS´m dmdptk«m …F{S tW^fm]n..F´m? ti? Hm …Cu N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv dmdptk«³s_ H^p Nm^yw …H¶pw fn**…sly …Hmt¡ …”” AkÄ Wn^mlN`À¶ fpOt¯msX bp_t¯¡n_§nk¶v bUvfWme³s_ fp_n]nt`¡v tbm]n. “”F´m? B^m^p¶p tfmsa ?”” AkapsX fpOemkw {l²n¨psNm*v bUvfWme³ tImUn¨p. “”dmdptk«Wm^p¶p AÑm,’ kngmUkpw Ah´pãvXn]pw Wnj`n¡p¶ hz^¯n AkÄ b_ªp. “”C¶v- skap¸ntWm AtàASv Njntªm fmt{S k^m³ bä¯pÅq¶v-. sfmS`maosX NqsX tS¡Xnt¡m Npfant¡m F§m*v…”” AkÄ sk_pt¸msX bp_t¯¡v tWm¡n b_ªp. “”A¨³ At§m«p sNX¡v–. Mm³ sNmj¼v FXpt¯m*v k^mw,”” A¸w Njnªv AkÄ Npj¼p tdm«n`pfm]n k¶p. bUvfWme³ N«n`n H^p tSmÀ¯pfpXp¯v NnX¶v- Np® bnXn¨p Sn^p½pN]m]n^p¶p. Aksa¡*v A]mÄ Np® tSmÀ¯nWN¯v Han¸n¨p. “”kÃm¯ H^p sIm_n¨nÂ….tfmÄ k^p¶Sv N*nÃ. tfmÄ¡v skgfw H¶pw CÃtÃm AtÃ?”” “”Cèm,”” Npj¼nsâ tdm«n N«n`n³s_ knap¼n sk¨p AkÄ b_ªp. “”sIm_n¨n k¶n«tÃ? sIm_n¨n k¶m FWn¡pw bmXm sIm_n]mSn^n¡m³,”” “”tfmav sIm_n]m_pt*m?”” tSmÀ¯nWN¯v ssN]n«v ko*pw Np® Sn^p½ns¡m*v A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”bn¶ntÃ, NXow sIm_n¨n`pw k^p¼w bns¶ F´v sI¿pw?”” ssWän¡v fpNan sSanªp Nm\mfm]n^p¶ fp`¡®pNant`¡v tWm¡n AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”tfmav Cu ssWän]n«mt\m Sn^p½ps¶?”” “”AsS, F´m AÑm?”” “”At¿m tfmsa dmdqsâ A½ Sn^p½p¼w H^p tSmÀ¯pw s»uhpkm CXps¶. AtàtfmÄsX ssWän sfm¯w sNmj¼v bän WmlfmNpw,”” ASv tN«t¸mÄ ^mKn]psX bq_nSanWpÅn b^pb^p¯ H^p hmVWw Cj]p¶ hpOfp*m]n. BkÄ A]mapsX tWs^ tWm¡n. A]mÄ AkapsX tWs^ tWm¡n bp©n^n¨psNm*v tSmÀ¯nWN¯v ssN]n«v AW¡n. “”A§sW]mt\m AÑm?”” bn¶ÃmsS! tfmav tbm]n H^p s»uhpw tSmÀ¯pw DXpt¯m*v km. FWns¡m^p him]w sI]vSv St¶Wv Mm³ Nm^\w tfmav Nãs¸Xp¶Sv Nm\m³ FWn¡v k¿,”” ^mKn bp_t¯¡v tbm]n. A¸w Njnªv AkÄ Sn^nsN k¶p. B ^qbw N*p bUvfWmeWv tdmV£]fp*mkp¶Sv tbms` tSm¶n. Ipk¶ tSmÀ¯pw Ipk¶ s»uhpw V^n¨v fp¼n ^mKn Wn¡p¶p! AkapsX skap¯v sNmjp¯ fmUNtfWn]psX Sm^p\ykpw tUkln¸ ewPn]pw B]n^fn^«n kÀVn¨v, A]mapsX fp¶n Wn_ªp Spap¼n Wn¶p. AkapsX CXSqÀ¶ fpXn Ajnªp`ªn^p¶p. Njp¯n_¡w kas^¡qXn] C_p¡n¸nXn¨ Éokvs`Êv A^ s»uhv. s»uhn³s_ C_p¡n¸nXpS¯n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AhiyS Nm\n¨v fpjp¯v sNmjp¯ sS_n¨ fp`NÄ bp_t¯¡v ImXm³ hÀÆ {lfkpw WX¯p¶Sv A]mÄ N*p. s»uhn³s_ hpSm^yfm] s»uhnWN¯v skap¯ {dm sSanªp N*p. AkapsX WPvWfm] sNmjp¯ ssN¯*NÄ tbm`pw A]msa kÃmsS knNm^knklWm¡n. Nmän`naNp¶ S`fpXn fmXns]mSp¡m³ k`Sv ssN sbm¡n]t¸mÄ N£¯n kaÀ¶ t^mf§Ä A]mÄ N*p. At¸mÄ A]mapsX Np® ko*pw d`w sk¡pN]pw ASv sk«n kn_]v¡pN]pw sI¿p¶Sv A]mapsX fp*v Nm\n¨pS¶p. fmUNfm] ^qb¯n AkÄ bp©n^n¨t¸mÄ A]mapsX NqXm^¯nWv k`n¸w NqXn. ASv kaÀ¶v- knNhn¡p¶Sv AkÄ bp©n^nt]msX tWm¡n Wn¶p. AkapsX Ipk¶ AV^¯n S¯n¡an¡p¶ bp©n^n A]mÄ WnÀ¶ntfgWm]n tWm¡n Wn¶p. tWm¡n WnÂs¡ A^]ns` NqXm^w BNml h©m^w SpXÀ¶p. AkÄ Npj¼v tdm«n`nsâ km]v– A]mapsX SpXNans`¡v sI^n¨p. sNmjp¯ Caw Ipk¸v {UmkNw SpÅnSpÅnNam]n A]mapsX SXn¨ SpXfmwh¯nt`¡v kojpt¼mÄ AkÄ A]mapsX N®pNant`¡v tWm¡n klyfm]n bp©n^n¨p. “”F´m AÑm C§sW tWm¡t\?”” hz^¯n klyhwPoSw Wn_¨v AkÄ bSns], NmS^]m]n tImUn¨p. “”hpµ^n]tà F³s_ tfmÄ? B^m]m`pw tWm¡nt¸mNpw…”” kas^ frUpkm] lЯn A]mÄ D¯^w b_ªp. “”Cu hpµ^n A¨sâ ko«n k¶n«v WmapNÄ Np_¨m]tÃm,”” AkÄ Npj¼v SpÅnNÄ A]mapsX SpXNans`¡v Cän¨v sNm*n^p¶p. “”As¶m¶pw A¨³ C§sW Fs¶ tWm¡n]n«nÃtÃm…”” “”A¶v- tfmapw AÑsW C§sW tWm¡n]nÃ,”” “”F§sW tWm¡pw? sPu^k¡m^³. {bSmbn. tWm¡n]m ehvffm¡n]mt`m F¶v- tbXn¨p,”” “”CWn fpS tWm¡yntàehvffm¡pw,”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. AkÄ Npj¼v Np¸n Wn`¯v sk¨p. tSmÀ¯nWp Smsj AkapsX skap¯p sNmjp¯ SpXNans`¡v A]mÄ Umit¯msX tWm¡n. SpX]psX A^emPw skan]n`m]n^p¶p. A]mÄ¡v S³s_ tUiw fpjpk³ ^à{bkmifp*mkp¶Sv A_n]mfm]n^p¶p. sb®v- Nj¨p fpän Wn¡pN]m\v. ASm\v– N£kpw fp`Napw Nm\n¡p¶ s»uhpw SpXNapsX fpjp¸pw sNmjp¸pw l^n¡pw Nm\n¡p¶ H^p sI_n] tSmÀ¯pw fm{SfpXp¯v S³s_ fp¼n Wn¡p¶Sv. “”tfmav l^n¡pw kym]mfkpw Hs¡ sI¿p¶p*v AtÃ,”” AkapsX SpXNan Wn¶v- N®pNÄ fmämsS A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”Hm, A§sW H¶pfnà AÑm. fps¼ms¡ dmZvfn³ä¬ Nan¡pfm]n^p¶p. F´m tImUnt¨?”” “”tfmÄsX sSmX]vs¡ms¡ Wà tg¸v D*v. ASpsNm*v tImUn¨Sm,”” A]mÄ SpXNan Ss¶ tWm¡ns¡m*v b_ªp. “”Bt\m?”” AkÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv NpWnªv S³s_ SpXNans`¡v tWm¡n. I^nªpw Imªpw A]mÄ Nm¬sN tWm¡n. F¶n«v S³s_ Wo* ssNkn^`pNÄ, fmWnNypkÀ sI]vSv ewPn]m¡n], Caw bn¦v Wn_¯n tbmaogv sI]vS WO§apÅ kn^`pNÄ A]mapsX SXn¨, UrUfm], SpXNan AfÀ¯n. bmUw fpS AkapsX ^*p ssN¯`§apw fpNant`¡v tSt^m«w WX¯n. SpX]psX fpNant`¡v N]_tk, tSmÀ¯nWNs¯¡v ssNNÄ NX¯tk AkÄ AV^w bSns] NXn¨v A]msa tWm¡n. “”Ct§ms«ms¡ A½ Sn^p½ntà AÑm?”” tSmÀ¯nWN¯v ssN sk¨v AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”A½ Sn^p½m¯ H^nXkvfnà tfmsa,”” A]mÄ In^n¨p. “”ssNs¿ms¡ FÃmXp¯pw C«v sM¡n, bnXn¨p, sM^n¨v, AfÀ¯n, l^n¡pw hpOn¸n¨v Sn^p½n¯^pw A½,”” AkÄ A]mapsX km¡pNÄ tN«v In^n¨p. “”tfmsa´m In^n¡ps¶?”” “”G]v–, H¶pfnÃ. B hpOw H¶pw Mm³ Sn^p½pt¼mÄ Nn«nÃ, tNt«m. FWn¡v Sn^p½n A{S FN-vhvbo^n]³hv CÃtÃm,”” “”At¿m, Nãw…Mm³ knIm^n¨p bUvfnWn Sn^p½n¯^pt¶sW¡mapw hq¸_m]n tfmav Sn^p½q¶v-. Hmt^m¶v- sk_psS Bln¨p,”” “”A¿Xm..sNmÅmtÃm F³s_ bp¶m^ AÑsâ B{Pi§Ä…”” ssNNÄ A]mapsX Nm`n`pw SpXNan`pw BªfÀ¶v- Wo§p¶ fp_]v¡v AkapsX D]À¶ fm_nXw, C_¡n sk«n] s»uhnWN¯pNqXn¡m\p¶ sNmjp¯ fp`NÄ D]À¶v- Smjv¶psNm*n^p¶p. AknsX]m]n^p¶p A]mapsX N®pNÄ. A]mapsX tWm«w SpX^pt¼mÄ AkÄ A]mapsX fpO¯v tWm¡n bp©n^n¡pw. bns¶ “”lyo, FknsX¡m C§sW tWm¡ps¶? Wm\fntÔ” Fs¶ms¡ CX]v¡nsX tImUn¡pw. Asæn Nr{Snf sPu^k¯n tWm«¯n`qsX A]msa lmhn¡pw. bp_¯p fpjp¯v knaª I¡NÄ Wn_ª ¹mkpNapsX tf Wnlm l`e§Ä b_¡p¶Sv ^mKn N*p. Wn`mkv ASnt·Â hzÀ® kn^nbpS¸n¨n^p¶p. ^mknsâ fm]nN ewPn]nt`¡v WnÃmkv H^p hpPÔfm]n Wn_ªp. ^m{Sn]psX tUi¯nWv Af^¶p^]pkm³ Wn`mkn³s_ hvss{S\ tUifp*v. ^m{Sn]psX ^mKNpfm^n]m\v– Mm³. F³s_ tUis¯ fUn¸nt¡* bp^pgl^o^sfknsX? AkÄ¡v dmdpkntWmXv NXp¯ tUgyw tSm¶n. “”tfmsa´m bp_t¯¡v tWm¡ps¶?”” AkapsX sNmjp¯, fUm`hfm] ssNNÄ, Wo*p ewPn]pÅ kn^`pNÄ, S³s_ SpXNapsX UrZfmwhtblnNsa sM^n¨fÀ¯pt¼mÄ A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”B ¹mkv tWm¡n]Sm AÑm,”” AkÄ b_ªp. “”Wà ^hfpÅ SXn. Fs´m^p N^p¯m]n^n¡pw!”” “”Mm³ ¹mkn³s_ SXn]à tfmsa tWm¡ps¶,”” A]mÄ sI_pIn^nt]msX b_ªp. ^mKn]v¡v A]mÄ b_ªSnsâ AÀTw sbs«¶v- fWÊn`m]nÃ. fWÊn`m]t¸mÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AkÄ N®p^p«n A]msa tUgyt¯msX tWm¡n. “”A¨³ tWm¡oSv F¶Sm¶v FWn¡_n]mw,”” “”F¶Sm?”” “”ASns` I¡]tÃ? At§m«m\tÃm N®v- Ft¸mjpw,”” A]mÄ ko*pw In^n¨p. “”I¡NÄ A§sW fpjp¯v Wn_ªv koÀ¯p sNX¡p¼w B^m]m`pw H¶v- tWm¡ntà tfmsa?”” ASv b_]pt¼mÄ A]mapsX N®pNÄ AkapsX fp`Nsa sNm¯n¸_n¨p. Sn^p½p¶SnWnX]nÂ, tSmÀ¯v– kjpSnfm_n A]mapsX A^s¡«v WPvWfm]n. “”At¿…AÑm,”” AkÄ In^n¨psNm*v N®pNÄ sbm¯n. “”CSn¸w sbm_s¯ N^*v tbmÌmt\m AÑsâ lp®n§]mt\m…F³s_ Culz^m..F´m AÑm C§sW?”” sbs«¶v- bUvfWme³ ssNNÄ sNm*v S³s_ A^s¡«v f_¨p. bs£ sbm§n]p]À¶v- C^pWn_fpÅ N^p¯³ Np® A]mapsX ssNNÄ¡Xn]n sk«nkn_]v¡p¶Sv AkÄ¡v Nm\mfm]n^p¶p. “”ssN fmäv AÑm, Mm³ Sn^p½s«,”” AkÄ b_ªp. bUvfWme³s_ lzmhw Wn`¨p. A]mapsX DfnWoÀ{bkmiw kÀ²n¨p. irU]fnXn¸v– NqXn. A]mÄ fnjn¨ N®pNtamsX AkapsX fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n. AkÄ f]¡w dmVn¨ N®pNtamsX A]msa]pw. “”fmä¨m…”” NmS^fm], ho¡m^t¯msX AkÄ bSns] f{´n¨p. A]mÄ hmkVmWw fmän]t¸mÄ A]mapsX ssNNÄ¡v fosS AkÄ S³s_ k`Sv ssNS`ffÀ¯n. A]mapsX ssN tkP¯n fmän. AkapsX f]¡w Wn_ª N®pNÄ¡v fp¼nÂ, tIm^¨pk¸mÀ¶ kn_]v¡p¶ AV^§Ä¡v fp¼nÂ, {NfmSoSfm]n D]À¶ Smjp¶ sNmjp¯p^p* k`n] fp`NÄ¡v fp¼n A]mapsX `nwPhnwiw hXNpXªp PÀÖn¨p fp^*p. AknlzhWo]fm] N®pNtamsX AkÄ ASv A¸ hf]w tWm¡n Wn¶p. bns¶ Ip*p WW¨v ASnt`¡pw At¸mjpw fnjnªn^n¡p¶ A]mapsX N®pNant`¡pw tWm¡n. bns¶ AkÄ fpOw NpWn¨p D]À¶pSmjp¶ S³s_ fp`Nans`¡v tWm¡n. bns¶ ^mKn ssNNÄ sNm*v At¸mjpw kn_]v¡p¶ A]mapsX fmwh^mKsW hvbÀln¨p. ASn³s_ IqX_nªp. ASn³s_ Umif_nªp. ln`mSp`yfm] ASn³s_ sbu^pghvbÀlf_nªp. ASv Ss¶ £\n¡p¶Spw A_nªp. “”tfmta…F³s_…tfm….”” AkapsX Wo* kn^`pNapsX IqXv S³s_ kn_]mÀ¶ fmwhs¯ hpON^fm]n sbmÅn¨t¸mÄ Wn]{´n¡mWmkm¯ knNm^km]vt¸msX A]mÄ knan¨p. “”…AÑm…”” ASn bSns] AfÀ¯n AkÄ knantN«p. “”tfmÄ¡v …F³s_…ASn …F³s_…sbm¶ptfmsa…AÑWv….”” ^mKn]psX sW©pw SpX]nXp¡pw t^mf¡m«n Ahiyfm]n Wn`knan¨psNm*n^p¶ CSÄUz]§apw fhvSN ko^sW `Ön¸n¡p¶ k`n] I´nNÄ¡nX]ns` N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv knXkpw hzoN^n¡mWn^n¡p¶ APvWn]psX BPfWtfmÀ¯p sk´v Sbn¡m³ SpX§n. AsS… So bnXn¨n^n¡p¶p. C{S tW^w bpN]pN]m]n^p¶p. Wo_n Wo_n¸pN]pN]m]n^p¶p. Ct¸mÄ H^p Sos¸m^n ko\n^n¡p¶p. ASv Ban¸X^\w. Ban¡¯\w. Bans¡m*n^nNp¶ Bjn sNXp¯m³ skÅw tk\w. ASv …ASv Wn_ªn^n¡p¶ hwe^n\n]m\v Ct¸mÄ F³s_ ssN¿nÂ. AkÄ bUvfWme³s_ Np® làn]m]n Smtj¡pw fpNant`¡pw AfÀ¯nSn^p½n. “”AÑm,”” “”tfmsa…”” “”A½ Sn^p½p¶ hpOfpt*m?”” “”tfmsa…”” “”F³s_ fpO¯v tWm¡n b_ AÑm…F³s_ N®pNan tWm¡n¸_. A¨³ ASv b_]p¶Sv FWn¡v l^n¡v Nm\\w,”” bUvfWme³ hpO¯nsâ sNmXpfpXn N]_pN]m]n^p¶p, CkapsX hvbÀlWw fm{Sw fSn ^SnhpO¯n³s_ fimNmkysfjpSm³. Hmt^m kn^¯p¼n`pw Nmf¯nsâ B\tkmÀÖw Wn_ªn^n¡p¶p. bUvfWmem, WnW¡v hzÀ¤w tkt\m ^mKns] tkt\m? F¶m ftäXs¯ tImUykm? ^mKn ^mKn ^mKn fm{Sw…. “”b_ AÑm,”” f]¡¯nsâ ^SnewPn]pÅ hz^¯n ^mKn tImUyw BkÀ¯n¨p. “”A½ Sn^pwfp¶Sn³s_ Wq_n^«n…B]n^fn^«n…tNmXn]n^«n..F³s_ sbm¶ptfmsa …Aakv… tfmÄ Ct¸mÄ S^p¶ hpO¯n³s_ Aakv N*pbnXn¨n«nà Culz^³….”” AkÄ km]n Wn¶p DfnWoÀ ssN]ns`Xp¯v A]mapsX Np®]n l^n¡v tS¨p bnXn¸n¨p. F¶n«v hvboZv Nq«n AXn¡m³ SpX§n. DfnWo^pw Nªnskůn³s_ Wn_fpÅ Np®s¡mjp¸pw NqXn¡`À¶vt¸mÄ Sma¯n`p]À¶ lЯn³s_ tkPkpw fpj¡kpw NqXn. {UnãnNÄ AkapsX fp`Nan`pw N®pNan`pw fm_n fm_n bSn¸n¨v A]mÄ AkÄ S^p¶ hpOw fm]nNfm] H^p t`mN¯ns`¶tbms` hzoN^n¨p. “”F{S tW^fm]n AÑm…CSn§sW sbm§n¯p_n¨p Wn¡p¶p!”” AkÄ AUvepSt¯msX tImUn¨p. “”tfmsa BUyw N* Unkhw sSm«v C§sW]m,”” A]mÄ b_ªp. ASv ^mKns] l^n¡pw AUvepSs¸Xp¯n. “”F´m b_sª? Fs¶ BUyw N*t¸mtjm? ASv F³s_ ko«n sk¨tÃ? At¶^w…?”” AXn¡v lànNq«n AkÄ Sn^¡n. “”AsS tfmsa, dmdqWv tk*n tfmsa Nm\m³ k¶ntÃ? A¶v- BUyw tfmsa N*t¸mÄ….As¶^km …At¶^w tfmÄsX N]n`n^n¡p¶ AÑsâ Np® l^n¡v N¼n]m]n sbm§n…bns¶ Ft´s^ b\ns¸«m H¶v- sM¡n]fÀ¯n Bt^w Nm\n¡msS skt¨¶v- A_n]mtkm?”” ^mKn]v¡v tUifmhN`w Npan^PvWn Wn_]p¶Sv tbms` tSm¶n. AkapsX ssNNÄ kÀVnS tkP¯n bnXªp. “”A¶v A¨³ B sfmt`¶v- N®v- fmäotS]nÃ. Wà Nhkv hm^n]pXp¯v. Ipk¶ s»uhn«v…tfmÄ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv A§sW NX¶p k¶t¸mÄ …tim…^*p sshZnt`¡pw knXÀ¶v- sk«pkm^p¶p tfmÄsX Np*n ^*pw..A¶v- AknsX]n^p¶v- Ft´m^w HmÀ¯p …Culz^m …B hm^n¡Xos` fpjp¯ Np*n ^*pw …Np*n fpjp¸n³s_ FX]vs¡mÅ NqSow …AsSms¡ …Fs¶¦n`pw H¶v- Nm\m³…ASnsWmÅ …tfmsa….tfmsa..im ….hvboZv sNm_¡v ..C¸w tbmNpw ….”” A]mapsX A^s¡«v knXÀ¶v- sk«n. bnXªp]À¶p. AXp¯ Wnfngw sNmjp¯ skap¯ bm¡«n tfs`¡p]À¶v- ^mKn]psX tf Wn`w sbm¯n. AkapsX fpO¯v. fm_nÂ. bUvfWme³ làn]m]n hpOlÐw bp_s¸Xpkn¨p. tUi¯nsâ {bN¼Ww hmkVmWw Wn`¨p. A]mÄ f]§psf¶m\v ^mKn N^pSn]Sv. bs£ Aksa AUvepSs¸Xp¯ns¡m*v A]mÄ Fjpt¶äp. “”NnXt¶m AÑm, fXp¯ntÃ?”” AkÄ b_ªp. ASns` kmÕ`yw A]msa hvbÀln¨p. A]mÄ Aksa hvtWit¯msX tWm¡n. ssN Wo«n Aksa hvbÀln¨p. “”tk* tfmsa…”” A]mÄ AkapsX tSman bnXn¨p. tSman Wn¶v- ssNNÄ AkapsX C^p fp`Nsa]pw H¶v- sM^n¨p. “”tfmÄ AÑsW hpOn¸n¨ntÃ…”” H^p ssN AkapsX fp`NÄ sM^n¡pt¼mÄ ftäss¡ Smtj¡v Wo¡ns¡m*v A]mÄ b_ªp. “”dmdqsW Nm\msS tfmÄsX fWÊv F§sW]m\v F¶v- AÑW_n]mw…”” At¸mtj¡pw A]mapsX ssN tSmÀ¯v– kNªv fmän AkapsX bmâohn³s_ fp¼ns` sNmjp¯ WWkn hvbÀln¨p. “”tfmÄ AÑWv C¸w S¶ B hpO¯nWp bN^fm]Ã. bN^w S^mtWmÅ sNÂs¸m¶pw FWn¡nÃ. F¶m`pw tfmsa C§sW Dtb£n¡m³ bäp¶nÃ…ASpsNm*v….”” A]mÄ AkapsX bmâohv H^p klt¯¡v fmän. kaÀ¶v- Wn¶ t^mf§Ä kNªv fmän A]mÄ kn^ AkapsX bq_n³s_ WWk_nªp. A]mapsX b^pb^p¯ bp^pgfpÅ Iq*pknX bq_n³s_ Caw frUp fmwhbanNsa sSm«t¸mÄ AkÄ ho¡m^t¯msX AV^w NXn¨fÀ¯n N®pNaX¨p. AkapsX WWkq_p¶ bq_nt`¡v kn^ AWm]mhw NX¶ptbm]t¸mÄ sbs«¶v- bUvfWmeWv H^p SXÊw AWpeks¸«p. ^mKn hpOmtkl¯m C^p SpXNapw bq_nWNs¯ fmwhtblnNapw C_p¡n]fÀ¯n¸nXn¨Sm]n^p¶p. “”tfmsa…”” “”F´m AÑm,”” “”AÑsâ kn^Â…ASv ..ASv tfmÄ¡v hpOw S^p¶pt*m?”” “”H^pbmXv…F³s_ sbm¶¨m H^pbmXv ….Fs¶ N«n`n NnX¯q AÑm…Fs¶ sfm¯w H¶v- Sn^p½q…”” bq_n Wn¶v- kn^`pNÄ FXp¡msS A]mÄ Aksa N«n`nt`¡v I^n¨p. bSns] Aksa f`À¯n¡nX¯n. N®pNÄ AX¨psNm*v, So{k lzmhPSn]m D]À¶v- Smjp¶ k³ fm_nXt¯msX AkÄ N«n`n f`À¶p. bUvfWme³ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AkapsX bq_n Wn¶v- kn^`pNÄ Du^ns]Xp¯p. “”F´m AÑm CSv…?”” Ahiyfm] Nmfm¡`n¸n ^mKn tImUn¨p. “”C¸w Ss¶ CXmw tfmsa ….tfmÄsX sfm` H¡v H¶v- l^n¡v Sn^p½n]n«v…”” ^mKn]psX tSmÀ¯v– GSm*v bqÀ®fm]pw AkapsX SXn¨p sNmjp¯ skap¯ SpXNan Wn¶v- kjpSnfm_nt¸m]n^p¶p. Ipk¶ Éokvs`hv s»uÊnWNw fpjpk³ koÀ¯pkaÀ¶ fp`NÄ sNm*v Wn_ªp. ASv A]mapsX ssNNsa £\n¡p¶Sv tbms` N`nt¸msX D]À¶ Smjv¶p. A]mapsX ssNNÄ AkapsX fmwhafm] epK§anÂ, ssN¯*Nan D¶Sfm] fm_n s»uhnWp fpNan`qsX A^n¨v, AfÀ¶v-, Wn^§n Wo§n. ^mKn hpO, tfmimtkl¯m bnXªp. AkapsX tUiw Wn_s] kn]À¸v Im`pNÄ sbmSnªp. ssNNÄ ^*pw AkÄ S`¡Xn]n bn\¨p sk¨SnWm AkapsX WPvWfm] N£§Ä, ASns` t^mf§Ä FÃmw Ss¶ kn]À¸n bpSªn^n¡p¶Sv bUvfWme³ N*p. ASv N*Spw A]mapsX Np® ko*pw Fjpt¶äp. A]mÄ N«n`n³s_ A^nNn NpWnªn^p¶p Aksa AfÀ¯n St`mXpN]m]n^p¶p. Nknapw sIknNapw A]mÄ sM¡n]fÀ¯n St`mXn . A]mapsX ssNkn^`pNÄ¡nX]n AkapsX tIm^¨pk¸mÀ¶ SXn¨ Nojv¨p*v bjp¯pkoÀ¯ S¡mantbms` ISªp. Ip*pNan Wn¶v- Smtj¡v A]mapsX ssNNÄ Cjªp. s»uhnWv fpNan C^pssNNÄ sNm*p A]mÄ ^mKn]psX D]À¶p Smjv¶psNm*n^p¶ k·p`NÄ sM¡n]fÀ¯n.^mKn AV^w NXn¨fÀ¯n Ahiyfm] hpO¯nsâ tfQt¯^nt`¡v FXp¡s¸«p. kas^ sI_p¸¯n Ss¶ b`^pw fp`¡pw I´n¡pw Hs¡ bnXn¨v Aksa AfnSfm] Nmfmhàn]pÅ H^p sb®m]n fmän]n^p¶p. bq_n³s_ ho sbm«n¨Sv {bm]bqÀ¯n]m]n¡jnªv ftigv– B]n^ps¶¦n`pw ASnWp fp¼v Ss¶, AfnSfm]n SXn¨p^p* S³s_ k`n] I´nNsa]pw SÅn¯p_n¨p Wn]{´\w WãvXs¸«p kaÀ¶ fp`Nsa]pw sM¡pkmWpw sM^n¡pkmWpw bnXn¡pkmWpw fÕ^n¨ Bs^]pw AkÄ Wn^ml^m¡n]n^p¶nÃ. A¯^w Akh^§Ä Nn«p¶ hµÀe§Ä H^n¡`pw AkÄ kn«p NaªSpfnÃ. Ft¸mjpw Sn^¡pÅ dÊn N]_pkmWpw AÑW½fmt^msXm¸w Gäkpw Sn^¡pÅ hf]§an fm{Sw hnWnfm Sot]ä_n N]_pkmWpw AkÄ {l²n¨p. At¸msjms¡ S³s_ I´nNsa]pw fp`Nsa]pw tSXns]¯p¶ ssNNÄ¡v {bm]teUsftWy hzmPSw b_ªp. Sot]ä_ns` C^p«n³s_ hp^£nSSz¯n DX]mXNÄ¡p fpNan`qsX]pw AN¯pNqXn]pw ssNNÄ N]_n]n_§pkm³ AkÄ ]tTãw Akh^§Ä WÂNn. bSnfq¶p k]Ên hz]wtemPw lo`n¨SnWv tlgw FÃm ^m{SnNan`pw AkÄ bq_nsW `man¨p. fp`¡®pNÄ M^Xn sM¡n bSnW©mw k]Êm]t¸mÄ Ss¶ gn½ohpw {dm]pfn«m tbm`pw Ak DX]mXNÄ¡v N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv fp¼n Sp_n¨p NÃn¨p Wn¶p. BUy ^m{Sn]n AkapsX fp`¡®pNÄ N*p dmdp fnjn¨p Wn¶v tbm]n^p¶p. “”F´m tfmaq…CSv …tfmÄsX sfm`¡Ãv C§sW SXn¨p NqÀ¯v?”” fp`¡®pNÄ kn^`pNÄ¡nX]n k`n¨pWo«n ^hn¨psNm*v BUy ^m{Sn]n dmdp Ass^t]mXp tImUn¨p. “”l^o^ {bNrSn]m dmdpsk«m. bns¶ bm^¼t^ymw. dmdptk«Wv C§Ws¯ fp`¡Ãv CãftÃ?”” “”H¶v- tbm tfmsa ..CãfnÃmªn«mt\mXo MmWntS¯s¶ C§sW bnXn¨v ^hn¡ps¶?”” A½ A]Âkmhn]pfm]n ss`wPnN dÔ¯n GÀs¸Xp¶Sv N*¯n bns¶ Akan kaÀ¶v- sbm«n] Nmfmhàn¡v ASn^p*m]n^p¶nÃ. F{S Wn]{´n¨m`pw hz]wtemPw b`Sk\ sI¿mSn^n¡m³ Njn]m¯ AkØ]nt`¡v AkÄ fm_n. C§sW]pÅ H^p sb®v- hz´w A½m]n AÑsâ NqsX ^SnhpOw A_n]pkm³ B{Pin¨m BÀ¡v Aksa sSäv b_]mWmNpw? fp`NÄ AfÀ¯nsM^n¡p¶SntWm¸w A]mÄ AkapsX sI´mf^ Ip*pNÄ NXn¨p k`n¨p. A]mapsX ssNNÄ fp`NapsX fmwhVm^man¯¯n`pw Ip*pNÄ AkapsX Ip*pNan`pw AfÀ¶p^]pwtbmÄ AkÄ N«n`n NnX¶p SpXNÄ AN¯n. AkapsX A^]n Wn¶v- tSmÀ¯v– FSm*v bqÀ®fm]pw DuÀ¶v tbm]n. A^]v¡v Smsj bn¦v Wn_fpÅ bmâohv fm{Sw V^n¨v AkÄ A]mÄ¡v fp¼n f`À¶v NnX¶v- NkNÄ AN¯n. bq_n³s_ ^hw Wn_ªv bmâohv AkapsX N´ntWmXv H«n¸nXn¨p. bm³äohnWpÅn`¡qXn AkapsX SXn¨ N´v A]mÄ N*p. A{S]v¡pw WWªv NpSnÀ¶n^p¶p AkÄ. Nk¡nX]n Wn¶v- M^¼pNsa bnXsªjps¶Â¸n¡m³ tbm¶ fUn¸n¡p¶ PÔfp]À¶p. Nm¡NapsX sNm¯nWp Nm¯n^n¡p¶ fq¯v bjp¯ fm¼j§Ä b^¯p¶ f\w. fUw fpän] Nma¡qä³ blpkn Ns*¯p¶ f\w. bUvfWme³ fq¡v knXÀ¯n lzhn¨p. A]mÄ AkapsX Éokvs`hv s»uhn³s_ ip¡pNÄ knXÀ¯n. ASv Du^ns]Xp¡pt¼mÄ AkÄ bp_w D]À¯ns¡mXp¯p A]msa him]n¨p. Ipk¶ {dm]pw bn¦v bmâohpw fm{Sw V^n¨v bUvfWme³s_ N®pNÄ¡pw Np®]v¡pw AknlzhWo]Sv H^p¡n H^p Nmf kh´fm]n AkÄ N«n`n knXÀ¶v- f`À¶p NnX¶p. bUvfWme³s_ kn_]v¡p¶ kn^`pNÄ, ssN¯`w, {dm]v¡v fpNan`qsX AkapsX kn§nt¸m«p¶ bmÀÆS hvSW§sa S¨pX]v¡m³ S¿ms_Xp¯p. fpi½Uv– A`n timan coÂZnsW tW^nXp¶Sv tbms` A]mapsX sbu^pgw Spap¼p¶ kn^`pNÄ AkapsX fp`Nsa Nl¡n sM^n¨p. knUPvUWm] H^p Sn^p½psskUysWt¸ms` A]mÄ kn]À¸n bpSª AkapsX C^pfp`Napw Nl¡n]pX¨p. dm`yNm`w fpS S¶n D_tbm«n] AWn]{´nSfm] NmfknNm^¯nWp Gäkpw AWpt]mKyfm] H^p bp^pgsW]m\v N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Ct¸mÄ SWn¡v Nn«n]n^n¡p¶sS¶v- A]mapsX ssNNÄ¡v S³s_ fp`Nsa sM^n¡m³ kn«psNmXp¡p¶SnWnX]n AkÄ Bhànt]msX HmÀ¯p. tUiw {em´v bnXn¨p fp^ap¶Sv AkÄ A_nªp. S³s_]pÅn fUwsbm«nWn¶ Nmf¯n³s_ bnXn]mWs] l^n¡v Sa]v¡m³ tbm¶ Bs\m^p¯Wm\v S³s_ A½m]n AÑsW¶v AkÄ¡v fWÊn`m]n. H^p Sotbms` bXÀ¶v- S³s_ fp`Nsa, k]_nsW, ssNNsa, Ip*pNsa, sbmÅn hpOn¸n¡pN]m\v. A]mapsX ssNNÄ S³s_ k]_nsW sM^n¨v, sbm¡nÄs¡mXn]n`fÀ¯n, SpXNÄ Nl¡nsM^n¨v, bmU§Ä ks^ AfÀ¯nsM^n¨v, AkhmWw SpXNÄ bnXn¨N¯n, t^mf§Ä kn^`psNm*v fm´n]N¯n, tS³SpÅnNÄ Cänäpko\psNm*n^n¡p¶ bq_pw N´pw sM^n¨fÀ¯p¶Sv Nm¯v AkÄ A£f]m]n NnX¶p. S³s_ fp`NapsX Hmt^m S·m{S]pw A]mÄ BhzUn¨p AfÀ¯n hpOn¨p, hpOw S¶psNm*n^n¡]m\v. F{StW^fm]n A]mÄ {dm]psX bp_¯pNqXv C§sW fp`NÄ fm_n fm_n sM¡m³ SpX§n]n«v? C{S BhzmUyfmt\m F³s_ fp`NÄ sM¡n sM^n¡pt¼mÄ C]mÄ¡v Nn«p¶Sv? hz´w f^pfNsa kloN^n¨v Nan¡p¶ C]mÄ kas^]VnNw hv{SoNsa Nan¨n«p*v F¶v- D_¸m\v. A§sW NmfN`]n AWpekh¼¯pÅ C]mÄ¡v C{S BhzmUyS F³s_ fp`NÄ WÂNp¶ps*¦nÂ, F{S ewPn, klyS, Nj¸v B]n^n¡pw F³s_ fp`NÄ¡v. tim …C§sW tk\w sb®m]mÂ. sb®m]m C§Ws¯ fp`NÄ Ss¶ tk\w. C{S]pw {bm]fpÅ H^p Nanko^sWt¸m`pw sNmSn¸n¡p¶, kn_anbnXn¸n¡p¶ {em´v N]äp¶ fp`NÄ. CWnfpS FWn¡v F³s_ fp`Nsa Nps_ hvtWin¡\w. W¶m]n {l²n¡\w. Ct¸mjpw St`mXn, sNm©n¨p hvtWin¡mW. Wà NX` fkpw tIÀ¯p Sn^p½n¸nXn¸n¨p Nps_ NqXn k`pSm¡\w. dmdptk«³ AXpSpÅt¸msjms¡ ssNs]Xp¯v sk¨v fp` l^n¡v sM¡n¡\w. sk_psS Wn¡pt¼mÄ en¯n]n Hs¡ fp` sk¨v AfÀ¯\w. A§sW Hs¡ sI]v–Sm CWn]pw fpjp¡pw. FÃmk^pw b_]p¶p F³s_ fp`NÄ¡v AfnS kaÀ¨]ps*¶v-. “”FXo Wo ssXäv s»uhv H¶pw C«p BapNapsX fp¼n tbm]n Wns¶¡^pSv. sk_psS F´nWm B\p§sa dm`mÕwQt¡hn {bSnNam¡ps¶?”” ^*p fmhw fp¼m\v A½ A§sW b_ªSv. F³s_ fp`]n Wn¶v- Ns®Xp¡msS tWm¡ns¡m*v–. CknsX k¶p Njnªv dmdptk«sâ A½]pw b_ªp ASv tbms`, “”tfmsa, Ip^nUm_³s_ tf gmÄ CXv tNt«m. A`t]m¡w H¶pw A{S l^n]Ã. S^mw Nn«n]m ImXn ¸nXn¡p¶ Nq«§Ä D*v,”” dmdptk«sâ A½ A§sW b_ªSv In^n¨psNm*m]mSnWm Sm³ Sn^n¨v H^p NphrSn tImUyw F_nªp,”” F´m At½sX Bt^`pw bnXn¨n«pt*m, A]t`m¡¯pÅ Bt^`pw?”” Ak^psX fp`]n tWm¡n]m\v Sm³ ASv N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv b_ªSv. ASn³s_ D¯^w Wm\n¨pÅ H^p In^n]pw, “”Cu tfmÄsX H^p Nm^yw,”” F¶pÅ Nankm¡pNapfm]n^p¶p. Ct¸mÄ A¨³ F³s_ fp`Nsa {dm]psX bp_¯pNqXn AfnSfm]n `man¨p kgam¡pN]m\v. AÑWv F³s_ fp`NtamXv A{S Cãw Bs\¦n CWn]pw ASnWp k`n¸w Nq«\w…. ^mKn]v¡v AÑtWmXp {dm Du^m³ b_]\sf¶v- tSm¶n. Ct¸mjpw hin¡mWmkm¯ hpOfp*v. bs£ CSn`pw hpOw NqXntà {dm fmän F³s_ fp`NÄ ^*pw AfÀ¯n Nl¡n bnXn¨p sM^n¡pt¼mÄ? ASv sI¿mSsS´m? FXo sbm«n ^mKn, bq_n tfmsa, AkÄ hz]w knlUoN^n¨p. FXo Wn³s_ fp`NÄ Nl¡n ^hn¡p¶]mÄ H^p sNufm^{¸m]¡m^WÃ. NmfN`]psX hN` Aeymh§apw bYn¨, NmfbNzS tWXn] Bam\v–. ASv sNm*p B{Nm´w Nm\nt¡* Bklyw A]mÄ¡nÃ. ssft^, Wo sk_psS NkNÄ sbman¨p Ip½m NnX¶v- sNmXp¯m fSn ..Wn³s_ fpt`w Np*ow bq_pw Wo B{Pin¡p¶Sn NqXpS Aakn hpOn¸n¨v, Wns¶ Nmf hpO¯nsâ eqfn]pw bmSmakpw hzÀ¤kpw Nm\n¡pw. Wos]m¶v AX§n¡nX¡v sbt®… AkÄ sNmSn¨Sv tbms` A]mÄ AkapsX tUi¯nWv AXn]n ssN NX¯n. A]mapsX Dt±lw fWÊn`m¡n AkÄ bp_w D]À¯nsNmXp¯v ssN l^o^¯nWXn]n B]mhw NqXmsS k^pkmWpÅ Akh^fp*m¡n. A]mÄ {dm]psX ip¡jn¨p. ip¡jn¡p¶Sns` A]mapsX A]mhfnÃm]vf N*p AkÄ In^n¨p. “”F´m..tfmsa In^n¡ps¶?”” “”Wà b^nI]fp*tÃm, AÑWv ip¡jn¨v ….”” A]mÄ Wm\n¡p¶Sv AkÄ N*p. §vti, Wm\tfm? ASpsNmÅmw. H^p Wnfngw sbu^pgw Wm\¯nWv kjnfm_ns]¦n`pw ASpw A]mÄ¡v C\§p¶ps*¶v- AkÄ¡v tSm¶n. {dm]psX boZW¯n Wn¶v- kn_anbnXn¨v fp`NapsX AfnS fmwhem^w bp_t¯¡v NpSn¨p. “”F³s_ At½…-!”” fpNant`¡v fnssÊ tbms` NpSn¨p]À¶ fp`NÄ N*v A]mÄ N®pNÄ fnjn¨p. “”F´m AÑm..”” AkÄ tImUn¨p. “”tfmta …Ct{Sw …Ct{Sw fpjp¯Sm^pt¶m tfmÄsX sfm`…F§sW HSp¡nsk¡p¶p t{dhn]_nWm¯v CSp§sa…”” “”A§sW C¸w F³s_ sNm¨p§sa N®psk¡*,”” AkÄ ssNNÄ sNm*p fp`NÄ f_¨pbnXn¨p. “”Ft´m^w Nãvs¸«m\v Mm³ CSp§sa H¶v- Ct{Sw kaÀ¯ns¡m*p k^pt¶¶p A_n]mtkm? F¶n«v N®psk¨v kà UotWmw bnXn¸n¨m hin¡SnÃ…”” “”MmWpw ASnsW sNm©n¨pkaÀ¯m³ NqXmw tfmta…Wfp¡nWow ASnsW k`pSm¡mw. tfmav Hä]v¡v F{S Wmam…NãvXs¸Xps¶?”” A]mapsX N®pNans` NmfmPvWn N*v– AkÄ fp`NÄ f_¨n^p¶ ssNNÄ ^*pw hmkVmWw fmän. A]mapsX sSm* ko*pw k^*p. lzmhw ko*pw WnÝ`fm]n. N®nf]v¡msS N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv A]mÄ ASv tWm¡n]n^p¶p. l^o^ eqfn]n D¯pwPfm] ^*p fmwhf`NÄ. Ak]psX fpNan N^p¯^m] bm_NÄ tbms` SpXp¯v Sp_n¨v UrZfm] N®pNÄ. f`À¶v NnX¶v-, bm³äohns` WWkv– A]msa l^n¡v Nm\n¡pkm³ tk*n NkNÄ A¸w NqXn]N¯n, WWsªm«n] AV^§Ä NXn¨fÀ¯n, ^mKn A]msa tWm¡n. AkapsX N®pNan Nmf¯nsâ A¾fjsb]vsSm`n¡p¶Sv A]mÄ N*p. bnXn¨pWn¡pkm³ Njn]msS A]mÄ ssNNÄ bqÀ®fm]pw WPvWfm] fpaNapsX frUpfmh¯n`fÀ¯n. “”””Òw…Òw ….F³s_…F³s_…AÑm…”” AkÄ ho¡^fn«p. M^§n], hpOfpÅ ho¡m^w SpX^m³ AWpkUn¡msS A]mÄ AkapsX Ip*pNÄ NXn¨p Ipwdn¨p. “”F´m tfmsa…?”” kas^ hf]w AkapsX Ip*pNapsX ^pIn]_nªSnWptlgw A]mÄ tImUn¨p. “”…tfmÄsX fp`¡v BUyfm]mt\m C{S hpOw Nn«ps¶?’ N®pNan Bap¶ Nmfsk_nt]msX AkÄ ko*pw AV^w NXn¨fÀ¯n A]msa tWm¡n. “”…hpOw…hpOsfms¡ CSnWv fp¼pw Nn«os«m*v– ..bs£ A¨³ S^p¶tbms` …A¨³ sfm`¡v bnXn¡p¶ tbms` B^pw F³s_ sfm`¡v bnXn¨n«nÃ..”” B km¡pNÄ A]mapsX bqÀ®^qbw {bmbn¨ Np®s] H¶v- D`¨p. AkapsX km¡pNÄ S³s_ Np®¡v hpOfpÅ H^p tkUW S^p¶Sv A]mÄ A_nªp. At¸mÄ b`^pw CkapsX fp`¡v bnXn¨v hpOn¸nIn«p*v. fp`¡v fm{SfÃ, bq_n Np®]psX hpOkpw A_nªn«p*mkpw. Wà Nm^yw. C§sW]pÅ sb®nsW]m\v tk*Sv. C§sW]pÅ sb®mkpt¼mÄ GSv hf]¯pw NkNÄ AN¯n¯^pw . fp`]psX tWÀ¡v H¶v- tWm¡n]m fSn. “”A¨³ F´m HmÀ¡t\?”” tUiw fpjpk³ sskUySn{bkmiw tbms` hpOw S¶v- S³s_ fp`NÄ ^*pw A]mÄ Npj¨p Nl¡pt¼mÄ ^mKn tImUn¨p. “”b`^pw Wn³s_ fp` bnXn¨n«p*v F¶v- b_ªSv HmÀ¡pkm^p¶p tfmsa,”” “”AÑWv Cãkm]nà AtÃ?”” “”H¶v- tbmXo, Wos]³s_ fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n¸_, Cãkmt]m CÃt]m F¶v-. Nj¨p sbm«pkm ASv tN«n«v…”” ASv b_ªp A]mÄ AkapsX fpaNapsX tWs^ fpOw Smjv¯n. AXp¯ Wnfngw ^mKn]n Wn¶v- AfnS lЯn ho¡m^fp]À¶p. bUvfWme³s_ km]v– AkapsX fp`N®pNsa D_p©n, Cu¼n¡pXn¡m³ SpX§n]n^p¶p. “”Òw …Òvfw…F³s_ AÑm..iiii….Hm …”” {em´fm] Bhànt]msX A]mÄ AkapsX C^pfp`N`p fm_nfm_n NpXn¨p. CX]v¡v fp`NÄ bnXn¨v AkapsX Ss¶ km]nt`¡v sNm*p k¶p. A]mapsX B{Piw fWÊn`m¡n AkÄ hz´w fp`NÄ fm_n fm_n I¸n¡pXn¨p. At¸mÄ A]mÄ H^p ssN Smsj¡n«v kaÀ¶v- fp_pNn N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv A£fWm] Np®]psX fNpXw bnXn¨fÀ¯n. fp`¡®pNÄ k`n¨p Wo«n hz]w NXn¨p A]msa ^hn¸n¨v– k` A]mapsX Np®]nt`¡v tWm¡n. Hmt^m fp`]pw C^pssNNÄ sNm*p sM¡n¡q«n¸nXn¨n«pw Nps_ emPw bns¶]pw skan]n Nm\s¸«p. C^pssNNÄ sNm*pw bnXn¨p A]mÄ Hmt^m fp`]pw k`n¨o¼n. N®pNÄ tkUWn¸n¨v NXn¨p. AkapsX fp`Nan AfÀ¶p bSn]p®v- A]mapsX Wmknsâ]pw Ip*pNapsX]pw bÃnsâ]pw lÐkpw hpO`i^n]n bpa]p¶ ^mKn]psX D¨¯n`pÅ ho¡m^kpw sNm*v fp_n lÐm]fmWfm]n. bUvfWme³s_ km]v AkapsX fp`Nan SmÞkw SpX^pt¼mÄ ^mKn]psX bqÀ Dfn¯o]ns`¶tbms` bpN]pN]m]n^p¶p. fp`NÄ¡v AfnSfm]n Nn«p¶ b^nP\W]n AkapsX bq_p Ahq]bq*p. Nj¸pw NXn]pw ASn³s_ b^fmkVns]¯n]Sv– sNm*v ^mKn A^s¡«v làn]m]n tft`¡v SpXs^ D]À¯ns¡m*n^p¶p. bUvfWme³ ASv Nm\p¶p*m]n^ps¶¦n`pw AkapsX fp`NtamXpÅ A]mapsX sk_n]pw Bhàn]pw sNmSn]pw A{SN*v k`pSm]Sv sNm*v A]mÄ bq_ntWmXpÅ B{Piw b\ns¸«p Wn]{´n¨p. “”F³s_ sbm¶¨m …Smsj…¹ohv…Smsj H¶v- sSmXpsk¦n`pw sI¿v–…”” hinsN«v ^mKn U]Wo]fm]n Atb£n¨p. B IqXpÅ, Nmfs¡mjp¸n bp^«n] km¡pNÄ AkÄ S³s_ tIm^¨p*pNÄ bnaÀ¯n D¨^n¡pt¼mÄ A]mapsX tWm«w AkapsX fpO¯v B]n^p¶p. At¸mjs¯ B emkw A]mapsX Aktlgn¨n^p¶ M^¼pNsa]pw k^nªpfp_p¡n. A^]nÂWn¶v- S³s_ Np® sS_n¨ptbmNpsf¶v- ks^ A]mÄ¡v tSm¶n, kn]À¸n bpSª, S`fpXn A`hfm]n ko\p emPnNfm]n f_¨ AkapsX fpOw N*t¸mÄ. ssNNÄ fp`Nan Ss¶ WnÀ¯n A]mÄ fpOw Smsjs¡Xp¯p. WnÀ¯msS Ip^¯pN]m]n^p¶ bq_p AkapsX bmâohv bqÀ®fm]pw WW]v¡pN]pw DÅns` t^mf§sa ASv bp_¯v Nm\n¡pN]pw sI]vSp. AknsX A]mÄ bm³äohn³s_ bp_¯pNqXn fpOffÀ¯n. “”F³s_…Culz^m…F³s_ ..AÑm…imkq…”” ^mKn D¸vWoÀ ko\ A«s]t¸ms` bpaªp. C^pfp`Nan`pw AfÀ¶p^]p¶ N^p¯pä ssNNÄ. bq_nWptf AfÀ¶p^]p¶ fpOw. ^mKn Sm³ CSv ks^ AWpekn¡m¯ Nmfmt¯m\n]n`qsX ^SnhmP^w NX¡pN]m]n^p¶p. sbs«¶v- AkapsX]pÅn ht´mg¯n³s_ bq¯n^nN¯n¨psNm*p A]mapsX ssN AkapsX bm³äohv Du^n fmän. Du^ns]Xp¯ bm³äohv km]n`n«v I¸ns¡m*v A]mÄ S³s_ fp¼n knXÀ¶v- sbmanª bq_nt`¡v N®nf]v¡msS tWm¡n. t^mf§Ä kaÀ¶, fUK`w ko\p NpSnÀ¶ bq_v. t^mf CjNsa fUK`w H«n¨v tIÀ¯pWnÀ¯n]n^p¶p. t`mNs¯ Gäkpw klyfm] hpPÔ¯n³s_ fp¼ns`¶ tbms` A]mÄ ko*pw fq¡pknXÀ¯n N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv lzln¨p. t^mf§Ä Wn_ªp kaÀ¶SnWm AkapsX N´pw fq{S Wman]pw Ns*¯pN Fap¸fm]n^p¶nÃ. S³s_ h¦Â¸¯ns` bq_p CSm\v. t^mf§Ä Wn_ªp kaÀ¶Sv. N£¯n`pw t^mfw. “”tfmsa bq_p Wn_s] ssf^m\tÃmXo, AsS´m,”” A]mapsX sS_nkm¡pNÄ Aksa i^w sNmÅn¨p. “”dmdptk«Wv bqän ssf^v DÅSm AÑm Cãw. ASpsNm*v bq_ns` ssf^v kXn¨v– Na]^psS¶v- b_sª¡pkm, ASm,”” AkapsX emg]pw A]msa Ca¡n. ^mKn]¡_n]mfm]n^p¶p, A]mÄ bq_p fpjpk³ W¡n]pw bn¨n]pw N´v k`n¨o¼n]pw Nps_ hf]w sI`knXpsf¶v-. AkÄ¡pw ASv Cãkpfm]n^p¶p. bs£ ASntW¡mÄ Gs_ AkÄ¡v A]mapsX Np®]psX D^p¡Wpekw S³s_ bq_n Wn_]p¶S_n]pNs]¶Sm]n^p¶p. BUyw A]mapsX Cãw hmVn¨p sNmXp¡m³ AkÄ So^pfmWn¨p. AkÄ NkNÄ knXÀ¯n]N¯n sk¨p. B Wnfngw Ss¶ A]mÄ Wmkp AkapsX fUK`w ko\p H«n¸nXn¨ t^mf§an AfÀ¶p. bm`v W¡n¡pXn¡p¶ bq¨s]t¸ms` A]mÄ AkapsX N´n t^mf§an`qsX hvbÀln¨p. bqän Wmkp kojp¶ hOw ^mKn l^n¡^n]p¶Sv B\m\v. AkapsX ho¡m^kpw fÀ½^§apw D¨¯n`m]n. C{S hpOw bp^pg³ bq_pSn¶p¶SnWp*mkpsf¶v- Sm³ N^pSn]nÃ. AÑm, Np® bSns] N]än]m fSn. CSv C§sW SpX^t«. A]mNpsX fpOt¯¡v bq_p AfÀ¯n]Xn¨psNm*v AkÄ fWÊn b_ªp. A]mapsX knUPvVfm] Wmkp AkapsX N´nsW]pw fq{SWman]pw sSm«pjnªp S^n¸n¨p. ASnWnsX F{S Sk\ SWn¡v ^SnfqÀ¨ k¶p F¶v- ^mKn]_nªnÃ. H¶nWp bp_sN H¶m]n hpOfqÀ¨]psX hvtcmXW§Ä sbm«ns¯_n¡pN]m]n^p¶p. AkhmWw hinsN« ^mKn A]msa S³s_ tft`¡v k`n¨pN]än. A]mapsX Np®s]Xp¯v S³s_ N´n kas^ hf]w C«p^¨p. A]mapsX Np® bq_nt`¡v N]_pt¼mÄ AkÄ ASv Sn^nsNs]Xp¯v N´n³tf sk¨fÀ¯n. b`Sk\ hpOfqÀ¨]^nªSnWp tlgfm\v AkÄ Np® bq_n N]än]Sv. A¶m\v AkÄ A_n]p¶Sv shN-vhn AWkVn sbmhngWpNÄ D*v F¶v-. A¶pks^ AkÄ fngW_n sbmhngWv bp_tf tZmPn, A_pbs¯m³bSv, fXn]n`n^n¡Â SpX§n]k fm{Stf b^o£n¨n^p¶pÅq. dmdp ASn¡qXpS b^o£\NpSpNn]pfm]n^p¶nà SmWpw. F¶m bUvfWme³ AkÄ¡v b^nI]s¸Xp¯ns¡mXp¯ ^Snt`mNw knhvf]§apsX AkhmWkm¡m]n^p¶p. AkÄ¡v ASn Gäkpw Cãfm]Sv, Ss¶ FXp¯p]À¯n, Sm³ A]mapsX A^]n Nm`pNÄ sM^n¨p bn\¨p sk¨p Wn¶Sm\v. A´^oNg¯n WnÀ¯n A]mÄ F{S AWm]mhfm\v frPo]fm]n Du¡n hpOn¸n¨Sv… AkhmWw H^pfn¨p NnX¶p_§n]t¸mjpw A]mapsX ssNNÄ AkapsX fp`Nan AfÀ¶n^n¡]m]n^p¶p. N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv ^m{Sn Umin¨t¸mÄ ^mKn Fjpt¶äp. At¸mÄ D_§n¡nX¡pN]m]n^p¶ bUvfWme³s_ Np® Np`¨v kXntbms` Wn¡p¶Sv N*p. bns¶ AkÄ¡v bnXn¨p Wn¡mWm]nÃ. skÅw NpXns]ms¡ bns¶, WtÃm^p bm`n^n¡pt¼mjm skÅw ! F¶v- fWÊn b_ªv AkÄ A]mapsX Np® km]ns`s¡Xp¯p. D_¡¯n Wn¶p]À¶ A]mÄ S³s_ A^s¡«n S`fpXnNÄ hfr²fm]n bm_n¸^¶p NnX¡p¶Sv N*p. A^s¡«ns` hpOw A]msa]pw D·¯Wm¡n. “”AÑm, FWn¡v CWn]pw tk\w,”” AkÄ sN©n. “”S^mw tfmsa. tfmat§m«v bq_p knXÀ¯ns¡X¡v. A¨³ tfmÄ¡v Ft´s^ tkt\`pw S^mw,”” ^mKn f`À¶v- NnX¶v- NkNÄ AN¯nsk¨p. A]mapsX Np® M^§n]n_§n AkapsX bq_nsW Wn_¨p. BªXn¡m³ SpX§n] A]msa AkÄ tIÀ¯p bnXn¨p. “”AÑm …”” “”F´m tfmsa,”” ho¡m^fnXm³ AkÄ A¸w hf]sfXp¯p. “”AÑm…”” “”tfmÄ b_]q,”” Du^n]Xn¨psNm*p A]mÄ t{bmÕmin¸n¨p. BªXn]n AkapsX A^s¡«pw fp`Napw kÃmsSD`ªp\À¶p. “”dmdptk«WpÅt¸mÄ AÑsWs¶ Du¡ptkm?”” “”tfmsa ..ASv …!”” BªXn¨psNm*v A]mÄ b_ªp. “”Atàtk*…dmdptk«³ DÅt¸mÄ A¨³ Fs¶ …F³s_ tf¯v Hs¡ fp«ptkm?”” “”tf¯v F¶v- b_ªmÂ…”” “”ASv AÑm…A¨³ A_n]m¯ emk¯n F³s_ I´os`ms¡ fp«\w …dmdptk«³ Nm¬sN. ASv {blvWfnÃ…AÑWtà F¶v- N^pSnt¡mapw G«³…”” S³s_ Np®]v¡v fp_p¡w NqXp¶Sv A]mÄ A_nªp. S³s_ bq_nWpÅn A]mapsX Np® ko*pw N«nNqXp¶Sv Akapw A_nªp. “”AÑm dmdptk«sâ fp¼n sk¨p A¨³ F³s_ sfmt` Hs¡ sSmX\w …A_n]m¯ f«n …sI¿ptkm …?”” A^s¡«v D]À¯nsNmXp¯v sbm§n]Xn¨psNm*v ^mKn tImUn¨p. “”sI¿mXo,”” “”dmdptk«³ DÅt¸m Fs¶ tbt^m sNmt¨ tfmsa Fs¶m¶pw knan¡* …Fs¶..FXo Wo Ft¶ms¡s] knan¡mkq…tNt«m,”” AhmVm^\ tkPS]n A^s¡«v fpNant`¡v I`n¸n¨psNmXp¯v ^mKn ko*pw Bklys¸«p. “”dmdptk«³ tNÄs¡ A¨³ Fs¶ sS_n knan¡\w. knan¡ptkm?”” “”F§Ws¯ sS_n?’ “”Wà N«s¯_n…Wà sshhv ssi ¢mhv sS_n. knan¡ntÃ?”” “”knan¡mXo bq_o…”” “”iiiiv ….ASptbms`…”” AkÄ l^tkP¯n fpNant`¡v bpaªp. “”dmdptk«³ DÅt¸m AÑm…¹ohv AÑm …N¼n b_]\w…Wà bpan¸³ shN-vhv …dmdptk«³ tNÄs¡…b_]ntÃ…?”” A]mapsX A^s¡«n³s_ I`Wkpw frPo]fm]n. ^mKn]psX N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wn`knan D]À¶p. “”AÑm ..F³s_ AÑm….imBBA ….”” “”tfmaq ….HmHivivtimH….”” “”AÑm …¹ohv…¹ohv…”” “”F´m Np«m?”” “”AÑm dmdptk«³ DÅt¸m A¨³ Fs¶ fXo Hs¡ bnXn¨n^p¯\w…sI¿ptkm?”” “”sI¿mw Np«m…sI¿mXm …”” AfÀ¯n] lЯn A]mÄ b_ªp. AXp¯ £\w A]mÄ¡v A^s¡«n sbm«ns¯_n¨p. ^mKn]psX tUikpw kn_¨p. A]mapsX tUit¯mXv AkÄ A^pft]msX, {b\]t¯msX tIÀ¶fÀ¶p. A¸ hf]w Njnªt¸mÄ A]mapsX NqÀ¡w k`n¡p¶ lÐw AkÄ tN«p. Umiw tSm¶n ^mKn ko*psfjpt¶äp. Km`N¯nW^nNn AkÄ H^p Wnj N*p. H^p Wnfngw AkÄ e]kniz`]m]n. dmdptk«³ k¶n^n¡p¶p! FÃmw N*n^n¡p¶p- Culz^m-! sbs«¶v- Wnj`n Wn¶v B ^qbw Wn`mkn skan¨¯nt`¡v k¶p. A]msa¡*v AkÄ sM«n.