Phir usne pucha.

"Aur aapko books padhna bhi pasand hai?"

"Haan."

"Varna aapke paas Unreal Reality nahi hoti."

Usne kitab ki taraf dekha aur phir meri taraf.

Pata nahi kyun...

Uske chehre par ek aisi muskaan thi jo zyada der tikti nahi thi.

Jaise woh aksar muskurata kam ho.

"Mujhe nahi pata tha ki ye kitab kisi aur ko bhi pasand aa sakti hai."

"Maine suna hai zyada log ise fake story maante hain."

"Bilkul maante hain!"

"Log kehte hain ki Wilfred Blackthorn ne bas apni fantasy likhi thi."

"Koi kehta hai ki ye unki khud ki zindagi thi."

"Koi kehta hai ki aisa kabhi hua hi nahi."

"Bas ek kahani thi."

Bahar baarish ab bhi sheeshe par halki halki dastak de rahi thi.

Chimney ki aag dheere dheere jal rahi thi.

Aur uss pal...

Pata nahi kyun lag raha tha ki duniya bahut chhoti ho gayi hai.

Sirf ek ghar.

Ek baarish.

Aur do anjaan log.

"Aur aapko kya lagta hai?"

Usne poocha.

Main kuch der tak sochti rahi.

Sach kahun toh...

Maine iss sawal ke baare mein pehle bhi bahut baar socha tha.

"Mujhe nahi pata."

"Lekin main chahti hoon ki woh kahani sach ho."

"Bas itna."

Phir maine pucha.

"Aur aap?"

Uski nazar kuch pal ke liye aag par tik gayi.

Jaise woh koi purani yaad dekh raha ho.

"Mere khayal se..."

"Wilfred Blackthorn ne apni hi zindagi likhi thi."

"Lekin poori nahi."

"Aadhi."

Main thodi si aage jhuk gayi.

"Aadhi?"

"Haan."

"Baaki aadhi kahani shayad kabhi likhi hi nahi gayi."

Uski baaton mein ek ajeeb si udaasi thi.

Jaise woh kisi aur ki kahani nahi suna raha ho.

"Mujhe lagta hai..."

"Book mein likha hai ki ek saadharan yuva ne ek princess se pyar kiya tha."

"Lekin woh jaanta tha ki king apni beti usse kabhi nahi dega."

"Isiliye usne princess se vaada kiya."

"Ki ek din jab uske paas bhi apni territory hogi..."

"Apna naam hoga..."

"Tab woh wapas aayega."

"Aur usse shaadi karega."

Maine turant kaha—

"Haan!"

"Aur phir unhone apna vaada nibhaya."

"Book mein toh yahi likha hai."

"Haan."

"Book mein."

Pata nahi kyun...

Usne 'book mein' kuch is tarah kaha jaise kahani wahin khatam na hoti ho.

"Toh aapko kya lagta hai aage kya hua?"

Bahar bijli chamki.

Kuch pal ke liye poora kamra safed roshni se bhar gaya.

Aur phir...

Wapas wahi naram andhera.

"Mujhe lagta hai..."

"Us yuva ne apna vaada nibhane ki koshish ki."

"Woh ek knight bana."

"Usne apni territory hasil ki."

"Lekin jab tak woh wapas lauta..."

"Tab tak der ho chuki thi."

Mera dil ajeeb sa bhaari hone laga.

"Kya matlab?"

Usne meri taraf dekha.

Aur pehli baar...

Mujhe laga ki uski aankhon mein ek aisi udaasi hai jise shabdon mein likhna mushkil hai.

"Shayad raja ne princess ki mangni kisi aur se kar di."

"Kisi prince se."

"Aur sabse kathin baat ye thi..."

"Ki jis desh ki seva karke woh knight bana tha..."

"Ussi desh ke Prince se princess ki shaadi tay hui."

Lekin uski kahani sun kar mere seene mein halka sa dard mehsoos hua.

Jaise maine kisi ko khoya ho.

Jise maine kabhi paaya hi nahi.

"Woh knight bhi uss shaadi mein gaya tha..."

"Prince ne jab princess ko ring pehnayi."

"Tab Usne apni aankhon se dekha tha..."

Aur uss pal mujhe pehli baar ehsaas hua—

"Pata nahi."

"Phir bhi main yahi chahti hoon ki unhone apna vaada nibhaya ho."

"Mujhe bhi."

"Main bhi yahi chahta hoon."

Pata hi nahi chala hum kab itni aasani se baat karne lage.

Jaise hum pehle se hi dost hon.

Ya shayad...

Kuch log pehli mulaqat mein hi ajeeb tareeke se apne lagne lagte hain.

Tab tak baarish dheere dheere rukne lagi thi.

Badal hatne lage.

Aur khidki ke bahar phir se dhoop nikal aayi.

Main khadi ho gayi.

"Lagta hai mujhe ab chalna chahiye."

"Aapse baat karke achha laga."

"Mujhe bhi."

Main darwaaze tak pahunchi.

Aur jaise hi bahar nikalne lagi—

Usne peeche se awaaz di.

"Miss Evermont."

"Reality aksar harsh hoti hai."

"Isiliye fantasy ko reality banane ki koshish nahi karni chahiye."

"Fantasy ko sapnon ki tarah jeena chahiye."

"Ek khoobsurat pal ki tarah."

"Apne aaj ko jeena shuru kijiye."

"Aane wala kal shayad khud hi sundar lagne lage."

Sach kahun...

Us waqt main uski baaton ko poori tarah samajh nahi paayi.

Lekin itna zaroor mehsoos kar liya tha—

Ki usne abhi abhi meri zindagi se judi koi bahut zaroori baat keh di thi.

Phir picche muddkar Maine usse kaha—

"Aap mujhe sirf Aurelia bula sakte hain."

Phir main apni cycle lekar wahan se chal padi.

Lekin...

Safar abhi khatam nahi hua tha.