skans¸Xp¯Â þ NT ss`¡v sI]vSkÀ¡pw Nfâv sI]vSkÀ¡pw Wµn.
Cu NT]n fhm` Np_km\v F¶p Wn§Ä¡v tSm¶p¶ps*¦n ASnWp Nm^\w CSn b_]p¶ hpWn Mm³ Ss¶ Bs\¶pÅSpw CSns` hwek§Ä ]TmÀT KoknS¯n FWn¡v tW^ntX*n k¶n«pÅSpw B]Sp sNm*m\v. knlzhn¡m³ {b]mhw Bs\¦n`pw b`t¸mjpw NTNan b_]p¶SntW¡mÄ WmXNo]fm] hwek§Ä KoknS¯n WX¡m_p*v. AWpekØÀ¡p fWÊn`mNpw. f^ymU¡v H^p knkmisfms¡ Njn¨p Kokn¡\w F¶p B{Pin¨ Fsâ KoknSw fmänf_n¡s¸« hwekw B\v tfma½]n SpX§n] hwek§Ä. hv{Sos] Np_n¨pÅ Fsâ NmjvI¸mXv A¸msX fm_nt¸m] hwek§Ä. hÀ¡mÀ DtUymPس B]SnWm`pw bNÂfmWy³ B]SnWm`pw kyànNapsX tb^pNÄ Mm³ CknsX fmän]n«p*v. hwek§Ä hSyhÔfm]n FjpSpkm³ s{lfn¨n«p*v. Npä§apw Np_kpNapw sbm_p¡pN. Wn§Ä¡v Cãs¸Xp¶tSm Cãs¸Xm¯tSm B] NTmhµ^ve§Ä Ds*¦n ASv Nsfâv sI]vSm SpXÀ¶pÅ Fjp¯nWp him]N^w BNpw. NT SpX^mw.
tfma½ þ emPw ^*v
Fsâ KoknS¯ns` Gäkpw k`n] ssNkm\w B]n^p¶p ASv. H^p SpXw Np®¸m Ioän sS_n¨p. bs£ H^p Npj¸w bän. km\fXn Njnªt¸mÄ NpätdmVw tN_n NpXp§n fWÊnÂ. Cu Ak^mVn]psX ko«nt`¡p kt^*n]n^p¶nà Fs¶ms¡ tSm¶n. ‘hm^fnÃ, H¶pw hwekn¨nÃtÃm’ hz]w Blzhn¡m³ s{lfn¨p Mm³. D{P³ H^p Npan bmhm¡n Mm³ ko«nWpÅnt`¡v tbm]n.

Mm³ ANt¯¡v sIÃpt¼mÄ emÀPk³ tI«³ H^p cpÄ tdm«n _w AXp¡a]ns` tfl¸p_¯p sk¨p Fs¶]pw Nm¯n^n¸m\v. ‘Hm.. CSmt\m tI«³ km§m³ tbm] hmVWw?’ Mm³ tImUn¨p. ‘hm_nknsX ks^ k¶n«p hm_nsW H¶p hSvN^n¨nsæn tfmlftÃ? hm_n^n¡\w. Wfp¡v ^s*®w bnXn¸n¡mw.’

F´m]m`pw C¶v ^s*®w AXn¡\w F¶p Mm³ N^pSn C^n¡pN]m]n^p¶p. hmVWw s_Zn]m¡n] tI«Wv hvtSm{Sw! Mm³ fp_n]n tbm]n fpXn IoNn k¶p. tfma½s] Nm\mWnÃ. fpäw AXn¡p¶ lÐw tNÄ¡mw.

‘thmZm CÃ’ tI«³ b_ªp. ‘skÅw fSn tI«m’ NXp¸¯n Ss¶ Hmt^m¶p Hjn¨p. Mm³ skÅw Hjn¡p¶SnWp fpt¶ Ss¶ A]mÄ ¥mhv Nm`n]m¡n]n^p¶p. I¦v N¯n¡m\pw. fpOw kNrIv bnXn¨n«p*v. At§^psX tNm{bm]w tWm¡n Mm³ sfsà NpXn¡m³ SpX§n. ‘hm_v tÉm B\tÃm’ F¶pw b_ªp At§^p ^*mft¯Sv Hjn¨Xn¨p.

Mm³ A]msa tWm¡n C^n¡pN]m]n^p¶p. sf`nª FÃp´n] l^o^w. bNv–tg D]^w D*v tfma½t]maw. Ft¸mjpw doZn D*mkpw Ip*¯p. ASpsNm*p Ss¶ CX¡nX¡v H^p Ipf]pw D*v. bs£ skÅfXn N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Nm^y¯n Wà N¸mhnän Ds*¶p tSm¶p¶p. tfma½]psX bNpSn em^w tbm`pw D*mknà C]mÄ¡v. C§sW Hmt^m¶p In´n¨n^n¡pt¼mÄ tfma½ DÅnt`¡v k¶p. ‘tIm_p kna¼s« hmt_’ AkÀ tImUn¨p. Mm³ H¶pw fn*msS N¿n`n^p¶ ¥mhv Nm`n]m¡n. ‘CSp Njn]s«Xn. F¶n«mkmw Du\v’ tI«³ b_ªp.

‘tU hmt_ Ct§^p CSp So^pt¼mÄ AXp¯ Np¸n FXpt¯m*v k^pw. At§À¡v e£\w H¶pw tk*. l^o^w N*m A_n]ntÃ?’ F¶n«p AkÀ A]mtamXv b_ªp. ‘Wn§Ä Cu sNm¨Wv NqXpS sNmXp¡tÃ. lo`w D*mknÃ’ FWn¡v AsSm^p Wm\t¡Xm]n tSm¶n. Mm³ tI«tWmXv tImUn¨p. ‘tks_ Np¸n Dt*m? Csæn Mm³ tbm]n km§n k^mw’ tI«³ In^n¨p. ‘C^n¸p*p hmt_. Mm³ ^s*®w km§n. Nt*mXo, AXn¡p¶ks^ N*m FWn¡_n]mw.’

‘Fs´¦n`pw Bks«. Wn§Ä Du\v Njns¨¦n FWn¡v tbm]n Npan¡mfm]n^p¶p’ tfma½ b_ªp. ‘M§Ä kna¼n Njnt¨mam. Wo tbm]n Npant¨m’ tI«³ b_ªp.

A]]n NnX¶ H^p tSmÀ¯pw FXp¯p tfma½ Npan¡mWm]n koXnWp bp_Nn DÅ Npanfp_n]nt`¡v tbm]n. fUyw ko*pw Fsâ hn^Nan Nmfw D\À¯n]n^p¶p. AkÀ tbmNpt¼mÄ Ak^psX Np`p§p¶ sNmSw tWm¡n Mm³ C^p¶p. Np®¡p«³ sK«n¡pÅn sM^n]m³ SpX§n. ‘MmWnt¸m k^mw tI«m’ F¶p b_ªp Mm³ fp_n]nt`¡v sI¶p sK«n Du^n fmän Sn^nsN k¶p. Cs¸m `p¦n]pw Xo gÀ«pw fm{Sw. hpOw. Np®]pw SXkn C^p¶v skÅfXn¡mw. Ct§s^ cnäv B¡n NnX¯n]m H^pbt£ tfma½s] ka¡m³ bänt]¡pw. Nan¡m³ Nn«n]m D{P³ fpS`m\v. AkapsX sNmjp¯p^p* SpXNÄ¡nX]n NnX¶p B I¡ fp`NÄ I¸n NpXn¡p¶Sv HmÀ¯p Mm³ C^p¶p. bs£ hwekn¨Sv f_n¨m\v. cnäv B]Sv Mm³. At§^v bm_¡p Nmäp bnXn¨ tbms` NqÄ B]n C^n¡p¶p Hjn¡p¶p AXn¡p¶p. Fsâ S`¡p NWw sk¨p SpX§n. ‘FWn¡v fSn]m]n tI«m.’

tI«³ Du\v kna¼n. Njn¨p sNm*n^n¡pt¼mÄ tfma½ Npan Njnªp k¶p. `p¦n fm{Stf DÅp. ASp fp`N¨ tbms` Ipän]n^n¡p¶p. N¿n A`¡n] Sp\nNÄ. AkÀ Wfp¡v bp_w Sn^nªp Wn¶v Sp\n A]]n kn^n¡m³ SpX§n. WWª fpXn Ajn¨n«n^n¡p¶p. fp«äw Nãn¨p F¯p¶ `p¦n¡p Smsj skap¯p SXn¨ N\wNm`pNÄ. bn¶nt`¡v BhmfmWyfm]n D´n Wn¡p¶ D^p* I´nNÄ. Fsâ Np«³ `p¦n¡pÅn sk«n]mXn. fp¶n tfl DÅSv sNm*v B^pw Nm\nÃ.

‘Du\v Njn¡v hmt_’ emÀPk³ tI«sâ lÐw Fs¶ eqfn]n F¯n¨p. Mm³ tfma½]psX sNmSw tWm¡n C^n¡p¶Sv bpÅn N*n«p*mk\w. Wm\t¡Xm]n. A]mapsX N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv fpO¯v Wo^hw {bNXfm]n^p¶p. A]mÄ tfma½t]mXv b_ªp ‘tbm]n Sp\n DXp¯p kmXo’

tfma½ ASp {bSo£n¨nÃ. ‘AsÃ, CsS´v Nq¯v?’ AkÀ Sn^nªp M§sa tWm¡n Wn¶p ‘tU fWpgym skÅw AXn¨m k]än NnX¡\w. Mm³ F¶pw C§sW Asà Npan¨n«p k^p¶Sv? Sp\n]nÃmsS Bt\m Mm³ WnÂNpt¶?’

‘FXo f]ns^’ tI«³ tcmfm]n ‘F¶pw Wo CknsX Sp\n CÃmsS WX¡pt¼ms` Bt\m? hm_nknsX C^n¡p¶Sv Wo Nm\p¶ntÃ? tbm]n »uhn«p kmXo Nq¯n¨n’

tfma½]psX hN` Nt{*mapw tbm]n. ‘Fs¶ sS_n b_]pt¶mXm bp*¨n tfmsW’ A`_ns¡m*p AkÀ ^*p ssN sNm*pw `p¦n sS^p¯p N]än k`Sp Nm D]À¯n A]msa Ikn«m³ Hm§n. H^p Wnfngw AkÀ A§sW Ss¶ Wn¶p. k`Sp SpX Spap¼p¶p*m]n^p¶p. Fs´m^p Nmjv¨! Mm³ ImXn Fjpt¶äp. ‘At¿m tI¨o tk*… tI«m knt«¡v. C§sW Wn§Ä S½n {blvWw D*mkpw F¦n Mm³ tbmNpkm’

tI«³ In^n¨p, ‘F]v– CsSms¡ CknsX hmVm^\w B\v. hm_v Nm^yfm¡*’ tfma½ Nm`p Smjv¯n `p¦n sk¨p SpX f_¨p. ‘At§À¡p Fsâ Ikn«p Nn«msS SrbvSn Bknà hmt_, hm_n^n¡\w. Mm³ Cu Sp\n fm_n k^mw.’ AkÀ fp_n]nt`¡v tbm]n.

Fsâ fWÊp Wn_s] Sp\n sbm¡n Nm`p]À¯n Wn¡p¶ tfma½ B]n^p¶p. F¦n`pw AkÀ C§sW H^p StâXn Bs\¶ A_nkv Fs¶ sM«n¨p. {btSyNn¨pw sS_n knan. F´m]m`pw hwekw sNmÅmw. Nan¡m³ Nn«n]nsæn`pw H^pbmXv Nm\m³ Nn«pw. bs£ FWn¡v Cu sW]v fpän] bq_ns] Nan¡\w. Npanfp_n]n sk¨p N* AkapsX A¸¯nsâ fpjp¸v Mm³ HmÀ¯p. H^p ssN bnXn¡v D*v ASv–. Nan¡\w. Nan¨p sNmÃ\w. bs£ ASnWp fp³bv AkÀ¡v F{St¯maw Nj¸p*v F¶v– A_n]\w. Mm³ So^pfmWn¨p. Fsâ fWhv Dbm]§Ä tSXpN]m]n^p¶p.

Mm³ Njn¨p Njnªp AXp¡a]psX bp_¯n_§n ssN NjpNn. H^p hnP^äp k`n¨ tlgw Sn^nsN AXp¡a]n N]_pt¼mÄ tfma½ Du\v Njn¡pN]m]n^p¶p. tI«³ ko*pw ¥mÊv FXp¯p fUyw Hjn¨p. tfma½t]msXm¸w B sd©n Ss¶ bpÅn]pw C^p¶p. tfl]psX FSnÀ kl¯pÅ sd©n Mm³ tfma½¡p AenfpOfm]n C^p¶p. koSn Np_ª tfl B\v. ASnWm FWn¡v Fsâ bmUw sNm*p tfma½]psX bmU¯n sSmXm³ Njn]pw. F¶m`pw A]mÄ ASp Nm\m³ hmVyS D*v. Mm³ sfmssd FXp¯p tfl¸p_¯p sk¨p. F¶n«p ‘tI«m, Fsâ WmXpw koXpw Hs¡ Nm\n¨p S^mw’ F¶v b_ªv Pm`_n Hm¸¬ sI]vSp. AkÀ ^*p tb^pw tfl¸p_¯p C^p¶ sfmssd`nsâ hv{NoWnt`¡v tWm¡n. Mm³ Fsâ koXpw ko«pNms^]pw Hs¡ Nm\n¡m³ SpX§n. AtShf]w Fsâ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Nm`ns` SÅkn^ sNm*p Mm³ tfma½]psX CXs¯ bmU¯n H¶p sSm«p. emkteUw H¶pw CÃ. Mm³ Fsâ NmÂkn^`pNÄ sNm*v Ak^psX bmUw SjpNm³ SpX§n. tI«³ Fs´ms¡t]m tImUn¡p¶p*m]n^p¶p. Mm³ Fs´ms¡t]m f_pbXnNÄ sNmXp¯p.

‘hm_nsâ fpOw hm_nsâ A½]psX tbms`]m’ tfma½ b_ªp. ‘Bt\m?’ Mm³ tImUn¨p ‘At¸mÄ FWn¡v sb®p§apsX fpOw Bt\m’ F¶v tImUn¨p sNm*p Mm³ Fsâ Nm kn^ AkapsX `p¦n¡pÅn NqXn N\wNm`n SjpNm³ SpX§n. Fs¶ AÛpS sbXp¯n sNm*v AkÀ Fsâ tWs^ Nm`p Wo«n sk¨p S¶p. Mm³ bns¶]pw Nm`p]À¯n Ak^psX fp«n`qsX sNmjp¯ SpX]nt`¡v F¯n¨p. tfma½ H¶v– CaNn C^p¶p. SpXNÄ AN¯n sk¨p. Fsâ bmUw AkapsX SpXNÄ¡v CX]n B\v Ct¸mÄ. Np_¨p NqXn SÅn]m bqän sSmXm³ Njn]pw. bs£ AkÀ Sp_¶p sk¨ Nm`pNÄ AXp¸n¨p. Fsâ NmÂbmUw AkÀ B BW SpXNapsX CX]n sk¨v sM^n¨p. Mm³ fpOt¯¡v tWm¡n]t¸mÄ AkÀ Fs¶ tWm¡n Wmkp sNm*v hz´w Ip*pNÄ W¡n SpX¨p. At¸mta¡pw tI«³ skÅw FXp¡mWm]n FjptWä¯nWm Mm³ Nm`p bn³k`n¨p. Du\v Njnª tfma½t¨¨n Fsâ N®pNan tWm¡n C^p¶v– kn^`n bän] tIm_p W¡n. F¶n«p kn^`pNÄ Hmt^m¶m]n Du¼m³ SpX§n. ^*p kn^ H^pfn¨v A®m¡v ks^ N]än Np® Du¼p¶ tbms` AkÀ Du¼ns]Xp¯p. Fsâ Np«³ sNmXnf^w tbms` Wn¶p kn§ns¸m]n. bp_s¯Xp¯ WWªp NpSnÀ¶ kn^`pNÄ AkÀ W¡n SpX¨p. Fs¶ tWm¡ns¡m*v AkÀ kn^ AN¯n B knXknt`¡v Wm¡v NX¯n kn_¸n¨p Nm\n¨p. bq_p W¡p¶ tbms`. hz´w eÀ¯mkv bn_Nn Wn¡pt¼mÄ C§sW fsäm^p bp^pgsW tWm¡v Du¼n Nm\n¡p¶ Ck^psX Nj¸v Abm^w. Np® Umin¨p WX¡p¶ sW]v¡nakn bq_n.

‘F^nkv NqXnt¸m]n Asà hmt_?’ tfma½ In^nt]msX tImUn¨p sNm*p Fjpt¶äp. ‘Cu F^nkv FWn¡nãfm. CWn]pw NqXn]m`pw Npj¸fnÃ.’

‘FWn¡pw F^nkm\v Cãw’ AkÄ b_ªp ‘^m{Sn sk]v¡pt¼mÄ Np_¨p NqXn Nq«n sk]vNmw’ Sn^nªp WX¡pt¼mÄ tfma½ CXs¯ ssN sNm*v `p¦n¡p fpNan NqXn Ak^psX I´n¸manNÄ¡v CX]n sIm_nªp. NqSn Spa]n kn^ C«na¡p¶ tbms` tSm¶n FWn¡v.

‘Wfp¡v fp¶nt`¡v C^n¡mw hmt_’ tI«³ b_ªp.

Mm³ fp¶n tbm]n D½_¯v fpät¯¡pÅ bXn]n C^p¶p. fpä¯v kaw D*m¡pkm³ DÅ Im\Ns¸mXn D\¡m³ C«n«p*v. tI«³ ASp H^p N¼v sNm*p Ca¡n CXm³ SpX§n. ‘Cu kaw b©m]¯n sNm*p tbm]n kn¡m³ DÅSm. fj B]Sp sNm*v D\¡m³ bmXm]n.’ tI«³ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv b_ªp ‘fp³bv sNmXp¯Snsâ ssbh b©m]¯n Wn¶pw CSp ks^ Nn«o«nÃ’

‘Wmsa ^mkns` At§m«p km tI«m. ssbh Mm³ bmhm¡n S^mw. ssV^ym]n«p tbms^’ Mm³ CSv b_ªt¸mÄ tI«sâ N®n `Íp sbm«n. At¸mÄ bp_Nn Wn¶pw tfma½]psX tImUyw, ‘Aà hmt_, Mm³ blpknsW km§m³ DÅ b²Sn]n Atb£n¨n«v B_p fmhw B]n. hm_v knIm^n¨m AsSm¶v sl^n]m¡n S^m³ bäntÃ?’ fpS`m¡mWpÅ s{lfw B\v sbm`]mXn. ‘bns¶´m, ASpw bmhm¡n S^mw’ ^*p tbÀ¡pw ht´mgfm]n. FWn¡nt¸mÄ F´m? NpXpwd¯n Wn¶pw FXp¯p sNmXp¡p¶sSm¶pw AÃtÃm. tfma½ Fs¶ NX¶v Mm³ C^p¶ bXn¡p Smsj DÅ bXn]n fpät¯¡v tWm¡n C^p¶p. F¶n«p H^p Io¸v sNm*p fpXn fm_t¯¡n«p IoNm³ SpX§n. fpSpNv C_¡n sk«n] »uhnWv fpNan Ak^psX WPv–Wfm] bp_w tWm¡n Mm³ C^p¶p. Njp¯nWp bp_Nn A`vbw Wo^v– fpj¨p Wn`vbp*v. ‘tI¨n]psX Njp¯n Wo^p*tÃm’ Mm³ H^p kn^ sNm*v AknsX sSm«p ‘tkUW Dt*m?’

‘tkUW CÃ. bs£ Wo^v– tbmNp¶nÃ’ AkÀ b_ªp. At¸mÄ tI«³ Np_¨p Uqt^¡v tbm]n^p¶p. AknsX Np`¨p Wn¡p¶ H^p kmj¡v ht¸mÀ«v sNmXp¡m³ DÅ b^nbmXn B\v. CsSm^p Akh^w B\v F¶v Fsâ fWÊp f{´n¨p. Mm³ Fsâ ^*p ssNNapw tfma½]psX tSman sk¨p. ‘H¶v AfÀ¯n Djnªm Cu Wos^ms¡ tbmNpw’ Mm³ bSps¡ b_ªp. ‘B^v Sn^p½n S^mWm hmt_? At§t^mXv b_ªm sI¿¯nÃ’

‘Mm³ sI]vSp S^mw’ CSp b_ªp Mm³ ^*p ssN sNm*pw tfma½]psX Njp¯pw bp_kpw AfÀ¯n Djn]m³ SpX§n. ‘Mm³ CSp sI¿p¶Sv tI«³ N*m {blvWw BNptfm tI¨n?’

‘hm_nWp A{S tbXn Bs\¦n tk*. H¶p tbm hmt_. Fsâ tfmWv hm_nsâ {bm]tf DÅp. At§^v H¶pw b_]¯nÃ. hm_v W¶m]n AfÀ¯n H¶p Sn^p½ns]. Wà hpOw.’

Mm³ dt_m« fmkv Npj¡pwtbms` Ak^psX bp_w Sn^p½n. »uhnWv fpNan NqXn Fsâ ssNNÄ Ak^psX N£t¯¡v NX¯n. AknsX kn]À¸nsâ WWkp*m]n^p¶p. ‘kn]À¸nsâ Wmäw Bkpw hm_nsâ N¿nÂ. AknsX SXk* hmt_’ AkÀ b_ªp. ‘A{S Wmäw Dt*m?’ Mm³ tImUn¨p. ‘bns¶ kn]À¸nWv bqf\w Bt\m D*mkpN?’ AkÀ In^n¨p.

‘Mm³ H¶v tWm¡s«’ F¶p b_ªp Mm³ Ak^psX k`Sp ssN D]À¯n, NpWnªv B N£w f\¸n¨p. tfma½ ASp {bSo£n¨nà F¦n`pw NpS_ns]m¶pw CÃ. ‘At¿ Cu hm_nsâ H^p Nm^yw’ Mm³ Fsâ fq¡pw Ip*pw AkapsX N£¯n sI_pSm]n D^¨p. tI«³ Sn^nsN k^p¶p*v. Mm³ WnkÀ¶n^p¶p. bNv–tg Njp¯p SXkp¶Sv WnÀ¯n]nÃ. ‘tU N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv Wn§av Nt*m? hm_nWv W¶m]n SXkm³ Hs¡ A_n]mw’ A]mapsX emk¯n Wn¶pw CSp Sos^ bnXn¨nà F¶v– FWn¡v fWÊn`m]n. ‘Wo hm_nsW sNm*mt\m CsSms¡ sI¿n¡p¶Sv? AkÄ C§sWms¡ b_]pw. hm_v sI]vSp sNmXpt¡*.’ Mm³ H¶v In^n¨p. bs£ ssNNÄ Ak^psX fpSpNn Cjªp WX¶p. tfma½¡v– emÀPk³ tI«sW bpÃp kn` Bs\¶v Mm³ CSntWmXNw fWÊn`m¡n]n^p¶p. A]mapsX N×p¶n A]mapsX em^ys] hvb^vln¡p¶Sv FWn¡v WnPqZfm] H^p BWµw WÂNn]n^n¡\w. MmsWsâ Nm`pNÄ tfma½ C^p¶ bXn]nt`¡v C_¡n sk¨p. ^*p bmU§apw Ak^psX bp_w SpXNan tIÀ¯p sk¨ Mm³ Aksa tSman bnXn¨v Fsâ Nk¨p sk¨ Nm`pNÄ¡nX]n C^p¯n. Mm³ fpNan DÅ bXn]n C^n¡p¶SnWm Fsâ `p¦n¡pÅns` N¼n Np® Ak^psX fpSpNn D^ªmXm³ SpX§n. SoÀ¨]m]pw tfma½ ASnsâ hvbÀlw A_n]p¶p*v. bs£ A_nª emkw Nm\n¡p¶nÃ. B SXn¨n Nj¸ns] Fsâ Nm`pNÄ¡nX]n C^p¯pkm³ Mm³ Fsâ Nm`pNÄ BNmkp¶{S Nk¨p sk¨p. tI«³ CsSms¡ Nm\p¶ps*¦n`pw H¶pw b_]m³ Njn]msS Wn¸m\v. b_ªn«pw Nm^yfnà F¶v bmk¯nWv fWÊn`m]n¡m\pw. fpä¯pÅ Nn\än Wn¶pw A]mÄ skÅw tNm^m³ tbm]n. Mm³ Fsâ CXSp ssN sNm*v tfma½]psX sNmjp¯p^p* ssN S*]n bnXn¨p. F¶n«v k`Sp ssN Mm³ AkapsX fpSpNnÂWn¶pw Smtj¡v SjpNn C_¡n. »uhnWv Smsj WPvWfm] Ak^psX A^s¡«n Fsâ ssN H^p Wnfngw kn{lfn¨p. ‘Mm³ SXkpt¼mÄ hpOw Dt*m tI¨o’ H¶pw fn*msS In^n¨p sNm*v B Nj¸n bq_n H¶naNn C^p¶p. Fsâ tUit¯¡v Imªp. Im^pNth^]n NnX¡pw tbms` AkÀ Ak^psX fpSpNn Fsâ Np® tIÀ¯v Im^n C^p¶p. Mm³ Fsâ Np® Ak^psX fpSpNn tIÀ¯v D^¡m³ SpX§n. ssNNÄ sNm*v Ak^psX Njp¯n Mm³ Ipän bnXn¨p. sfsà B Njp¯n SXkn] Mm³ ssNNÄ fmÀNpX§ant`¡v sNm*p tbm]n. »uhnWm fqXn] Ak^psX fpjp¯ fp`NÄ¡v fpNan Fsâ ssNNÄ kn{lfn¨p. AkÀ skÅw sNm^p¶ emÀPk³ tI«sW tWm¡n A`hfm]n C^n¡pN]m\v. Mm³ Fsâ tNm` Np® AkapsX fpSpNn H¶p NqXn AfÀ¯n]n«p sfsà b_ªp. ‘Fs´m^p k`p¸fm tI¨n]psX fp`NÄ¡v’ ASp tN«n«pw {btSyN emkw H¶pw CÃmsS AkÀ tImUn¨p ‘ASp WÃStÃ? hm_nWv k`n] fp` Cãw Asöp tSm¶p¶p?’

‘FWn¡v e]¦^ Cãfm. {btSyNn¨pw tI¨n]psX Cu I¡ fp`Napw sNmjp¯ Np*n]pw.’ C§sW b_ªp sNm*v Ak^psX »uhn fpj¨p N¼n B]n SÅn Wn¶n^p¶ fp´n^n sM«pNÄ ^*p ssNNam`pw M^Xm³ SpX§n. ^*p fp` sM«pNan`pw Ht^ hf]w M^Xn] tlgw Mm³ Ak]n Fsâ N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv kn^ sNm*v AfÀ¯n WpÅn k`n¨p. ‘iu-!’ AkÀ sManªp tbm]n. ‘tWmkn¡pt¶mXm Sm]mao’ Mm³ bnXn kn«p ‘hmt_ knan Hs¡ SoÀt¶m?’ Mm³ tImUn¨p.

‘Fsâ sfm`]n Sq§n NnX¡p¶ Wns¶ Mm³ hms_¶p knan¡\w AsÃXm bq_m?’ hwPSn Npafm]n F¶m\v Mm³ N^pSn]Sv. bs£ AkÀ H^p ssN bp_Nnt`¡v N]än Fsâ Np®]n `p¦n AX¡w bnXn¨p. B frUp`fm] N¿n NnX¶v Fsâ sNmXnf^w sk«n kn_¨p. AkÀ f`À¶v Fsâ fpO¯p tWm¡n. F¶n«p `p¦n DĸsX Fsâ Np® sSm`n¨Xn¡m³ SpX§n. ‘F{S tW^fms]Xm Wo CSp N¼n B¡n sk¨n^n¡p¶p? WnWs¡´m skÅw tbmNms¯? ASymklyw skÅw tbmNm³ DÅsSms¡ Mm³ WnW¡p Nm\n¨p S¶ntÃ?’

‘ASp bns¶, Npanfp_n]n sk¨p Mm³ H^p km\w kn«m]n^p¶p. ASpsNm*mkpw’ Mm³ b_sªm¸n¨p. AkÀ In^n¨p ‘ASp kn«pNm\pw Fs¶Wn¡v A_n]mw. At¶^w fq¯p Wn`vNpkm]n^p¶tÃm. F¶m`pw CSnt¸mÄ Nps_ tW^w B]ntà Fsâ fp¯pN¯p Wo D^¡p¶p?’

‘fpSpNs¯m¶pw tbmknà Fsâ tfmas½. Wnsâ CZv[`n bqän Ss¶ tbm\w’ Mm³ b_ªp. ‘A§sW Bt\m? AsSm¶v A_n]\ftÃm’ CSpw b_ª AkÀ Np®]n Wn¶pw bnXn kn«p. Nn\än³ N^]n Wn¶ tI«sW tWm¡n knan¨p b_ªp, ‘tU.. Wn§Ä kmj¡v skÅkpw tNm^n Wn¡msS tbm]n bm`p km§n km. hm_nWp Im] sNmXp¡mWpÅSm’ CSp tN«Spw fpäs¯ A]]n NnX¶ H^p dWn]Wpw FXp¯n«v AWph^\ DÅ b«ns] tbms` A]mÄ bp_t¯¡p tbm]n.

FWn¡v ht´mgfm]n. ‘tI¨n¡v Abm^ dp²n Ss¶. Wfp¡v ANt¯¡v tbm]mt`m?’

‘FXm fm]ns^ bm`v km§p¶Sv sSm«¸p_s¯ ko«n Wn¶m. At§^nt¸mÄ C§p k^pw. WnW¡p Np®¸m`v Naªm tbms^? ASnWp tk*n ANs¯m¶pw tbmtk* Nm^yw CÃ’

CSpw b_ªv AkÀ ko*pw Fsâ Np®]n bnXn¯fn«p. `p¦n¡p skan]nt`¡v AksW FXp¯p. C^p¶nX¯p Wn¶pw H¶p sbm§n Ak^psX BW sNmSw Fsâ Np® fpNan sk¨p. ‘tI¨o, tI¨osX `p¦n sbm¡n k¨n«v Np®]n C^n¡v’ Mm³ b_ªp. ‘Sp\n tbmNmsS Nan¡m³ WnW¡p Mm³ bYn¸n¨p S^msfXm Sm]mao’ AkÀ Fsâ Np® `p¦n DĸsX Ak^psX tNmS bmanNÄ¡nX]n N]än. ‘tWm¡n C^n¡msS Fsâ I´n Wnsâ ssN sk¨p sbma¶p bnXnt¡Xm.’

Mm³ Fsâ ^*pssNNam`pw Ak^psX I´nNpX§Ä Sm§n k`n¨N¯n sk¨p. AkÀ Fsâ Np® Ak^psX tNmS Im`n NqXn NqSn Spa]n`pw bqän`pw D^¡mWv SpX§n. S¡man tbms` DÅ Fsâ sSm`nª Np®]psX fNpXw, `p¦n ]n D^ªt¸mÄ FWn¡v sI_pSm]v– tkUWn¨p. D^¸p WnÀ¯n] N¼nNp«³.sWäv

N¼nNp«³.sWäv AkÀ Fsâ Np® Ak^psX NqSn Spa]n AfÀ¯n.

Mm³ Fsâ C^p ssNNam`pw tfma½]psX I´n tPma§Ä Npj¨p f_n¨p. ‘Wnsâ Np®¡v Fs´m^p fpjp¸mXm. Fsâ NqSn]n`v CSp N]_nÃtÃm’ C§sW b_ªp AkÀ Np® Ak^psX bqän fp«n¨p. bq_n Wn¶pÅ tSsWm`n¸v Nm^\w B emP¯v Ak^psX `p¦n NpSnÀ¶n^p¶p. tfma½ Nms`m¶v AN¯n. Fsâ Np® tfma½]psX bqän N]_m³ SpX§n. Np®¡v tNm*w tbms` AkapsX `p¦n]pw. d*p sbm«n H`n¡pw tbms` B\v Ak^psX bqÀ tS³. Abm^ `q{dnt¡g³. tfma½ ^*p k«w D]À¶v Sm\p. AhmfmWyfm] B hpO¯n FWn¡v skXn sbm«n. ‘Biv–…’ FWn¡v tbm]n tI¨o’

‘N*ntÃ… Ct{S DÅp Ct¸mjs¯ bntÅ^psX Nm^yw! bs£ Wo kngfn¡*Xm tfmsW. Wo sNmÅmw. Wns¶ Mm³ H^p H¶mwS^w b\n¡m^³ B¡n fmäpw’ CSpw b_ªp tfma½ Fjpt¶äp. Ak^psX I´n emP¯v `p¦n fpjpk³ Fsâ Np®¸m`pw Ak^psX bqÀ tSWpw B]n^p¶p. Fsâ Np® bnXn¨p H¶p Np`p¡n, AksW ko*pw Fsâ `p¦n¡pÅn hp^£nSWm¡n, AkÀ ko«nWpÅnt`¡v tbm]n. WX¶Sv hzbvWfmt\m hSyfmt\m F¶v Sn^n¨_n]msS C^n¡pN B]n^p¶p Mm³. ASm emÀPk³ tI«³ bm`pfm]n WX¶p k^p¶p…

SpX^pw…