Jab darwaaza achanak se khula aur ek parchhaai farsh par padi...

Toh sach kahun, uss pal main thodi darr gayi thi.

Aur shayad...

Wahi pehli baar tha jab maine usse dekha tha.

Mujhe nahi pata woh mujhse kitna lamba tha.

Lekin itna zaroor tha ki woh mujhse thoda ooncha tha.

Usne ek safed sweater pehna hua tha.

Aur ajeeb baat ye thi ki uske baal bhi mere jaise hi rang ke the.

Tab mujhe samajh aaya.

Ye wahi professor tha.

Usne mujhe dekha aur halki si hairani ke saath bola—

"Mujhe pata hi nahi tha ki koi bahar baarish mein bheeg raha hai."

"Lekin aap andar kyun nahi aayi? Mujhe awaaz bhi de sakti thi."

Main thodi si jhijhak gayi.

"Woh... mujhe laga hi nahi ki iss ghar mein koi rehta hai."

"Hmm..."

Usne dheere se muskurakar kaha—

"Ho sakta hai."

"Kyunki main bhi aaj hi yahan aaya hoon."

Phir usne darwaaza thoda aur khol diya.

"Lekin ye baatein andar bhi ho sakti hain."

"Aap andar aa jaiye."

Sach bataun...

Us waqt main andar jaane se ghabra rahi thi.

Aur pata nahi kyun...

Andar jaana bhi chahti thi.

Ajeeb ehsaas tha.

Jaise main kisi anjaan jagah par hote hue bhi surakshit thi.

Aur phir...

Main andar chali gayi.

Uska ghar bilkul waisa tha jaise kahaniyon mein hota hai.

Garam.

Shaant.

Aur ajeeb tareeke se apna sa.

Ek chimney ke neeche aag jal rahi thi.

Bahar bijli zor zor se chamak rahi thi.

Ek bada sa window tha jiske paar sirf baarish nazar aa rahi thi.

Window ke paas ek sofa rakha tha.

Uske saamne ek wooden table.

Aur uss table par rakhi thi ek kitab.

Unreal Reality.

Mere honton par anjaane mein muskaan aa gayi.

Wilfred Blackthorn ki likhi hui meri pasandida kitaabon mein se ek.

Ek medieval poet.

Ya kam se kam duniya unhe isi naam se jaanti thi.

"Ye lijiye."

Usne mujhe ek garam towel diya.

"Khud ko sukha lijiye."

"Aur aag ke paas baith jaiye."

"Main chai lekar aata hoon."

Itna keh kar woh kitchen ki taraf chala gaya.

Aur main aag ke paas baith gayi.

Pata nahi kyun...

Lekin uss ghar mein ek ajeeb si shanti thi.

Jaise bahar tufaan ho.

Aur andar kisi ne waqt ko dheema kar diya ho.

Kuch der baad woh chai lekar laut aaya.

Tab tak main bhi sukh chuki thi.

Usne cup meri taraf badhaya.

Aur main dheere dheere chai peene lagi.

Phir meri nazar phir se uss kitab par chali gayi.

Main khud ko rok nahi payi.

"Aapne Unreal Reality padhi hai na?"

"Aapko kaisi lagi?"

Woh thoda sa chonk gaya.

"Aapko kaise pata chala?"

Uske chehre par aisi hairani thi ki mujhe hansi aa gayi.

"Kyunki woh aapki table par rakhi hai."

"Oh."

Usne halka sa muskura kar apna maatha pakad liya.

"Main bhi kabhi kabhi kitna buddhu ho jata hoon."

Uski baat sunkar mujhe hansi aa gayi.

Phir maine poocha—

"Aapka naam kya hai?"

"Evelyn Hale."

Main kuch pal ke liye chup ho gayi.

"Evelyn?"

"Ye toh ladkiyon jaisa naam lagta hai.

"Haan."

"Ye main pehle bhi sun chuka hoon."

"Lekin aapka naam?"

"Aurelia Evermont."

Pata nahi kyun...

Mera naam sunte hi woh kuch pal ke liye chup ho gaya.

"Kya hua?"

"Aap chup kyun ho gaye?"

Usne dheere se kaha—

"Aurelia..."

"Matlab Golden light."

"Haan, log aisa hi kehte hain."

"Aur Evermont..."

"Matlab aap Royal House se judi hui hain."

"Haan."

"Ye bhi sach hai."

"Sach kahun toh shayad wahi cheez hai jo mujhe sabse kam pasand hai."

"Kyun?"

Usne seedha sawal poocha.

Main kuch der chup rahi.

"Kyunki mujhe achha nahi lagta jab log mujhse umeedein rakhte hain."

"Kabhi kabhi lagta hai..."

"Jaise main apne liye nahi..."

"Unke liye jee rahi hoon."

"Toh phir aap kya karna chahti hain?"

Usne poocha.

Aur ajeeb baat ye thi ki mere paas jawab nahi tha.

"Mujhe bhi nahi pata."

"Main bas..."

"Akeli rehna chahti hoon."

"Lekin akela mehsoos nahi karna chahti."

"Matlab?"

Maine cup ko dono haathon se pakad liya.

"Mera matlab..."

"Logon ke beech reh kar bhi mujhe akelapan mehsoos hota hai."

"Lekin jab main sach mein akeli hoti hoon..."

"Tab mujhe akela nahi lagta."

Aur pata hi nahi chala ki kab main apne dil ki baatein ek anjaan aadmi ko batane lagi.

Lekin woh meri har baat sun raha tha.

Beech mein tokta nahi tha.

Bas sunta tha.

Aur shayad isi wajah se...

Main aur zyada aaram se baat karne lagi.