Divyastra

Divyastra

Chapter 1 — Kartikey: Story Begins

Subah ka time tha.

School ke corridor me students ki awaazein goonj rahi thi. Koi apne friends ke saath baat kar raha tha, koi homework complete kar raha tha aur kuch students class shuru hone ka wait kar rahe the.

Lekin classroom ke ek kone me Kartikey bilkul chup baitha tha.

Woh apni notebook kholkar kuch likhne ki koshish kar raha tha.

Tabhi uske peeche se ek awaaz aayi.

"Oi Kartikey."

Kartikey ne palatkar dekha.

Teen ladke uske paas khade the.

"Homework kiya?"

Kartikey ne dheere se kaha,

"Haan."

"To dikha."

Kartikey ne notebook aage kar di.

Ladke ne notebook dekhi aur hans pada.

"Isse homework kehte ho?"

Baaki dono bhi hansne lage.

Kartikey ne kuch nahi kaha.

Woh aadat daal chuka tha.

School me usse aksar bully kiya jaata tha.

Kabhi uski books chhupa di jaati thi.

Kabhi uska lunch le liya jaata.

Aur kabhi bina kisi reason ke use dhakka de diya jaata.

Kartikey aksar chup rehta.

Usse ladna nahi aata tha.

Ya shayad...

Usse lagta tha ki ladne se kuch badalne wala nahi hai.

Us din bhi lunch break me uska lunch kisi aur ne le liya.

Kartikey bas chupchaap classroom se bahar nikal gaya.

Woh school ke peeche wali road par jaakar ek bench par baith gaya.

Aasmaan ki taraf dekhte hue usne dheere se kaha,

"Har din same hi kyun hota hai?"

Koi jawab nahi tha.

Kuch der baad woh ghar ki taraf chal pada.

Raste me usse ek chhoti si billi ki awaaz sunayi di.

"Miaow..."

Kartikey ruk gaya.

Awaaz road ke paas se aa rahi thi.

Usne dekha ki ek chhoti si billi road ke doosri taraf jaane ki koshish kar rahi thi.

Kartikey ne idhar-udhar dekha.

"Arre ruk..."

Woh billi ki taraf badha.

Lekin tabhi ek gaadi tez speed se wahan se guzri.

Kartikey ghabra gaya.

"Bach!"

Billi darr kar bhaagi.

Kartikey uske peeche dauda.

Lekin billi ek khule naale ke paas pahunch gayi.

Kartikey ne use rokne ki koshish ki.

"Idhar mat ja!"

Lekin billi phisal gayi.

Kartikey ne uski taraf haath badhaya.

"Ruk!"

Uski aankhon ke saamne billi naale me gir gayi.

Kartikey turant neeche jhuk gaya.

"Ruko... ruko..."

Usne use bahar nikalne ki poori koshish ki.

Lekin woh bach nahi paayi.

Kartikey wahi baitha reh gaya.

Kuch seconds tak usne kuch nahi kaha.

Uski aankhon me aansu aa gaye.

"Main..."

Uski awaaz ruk gayi.

"Main tumhe bacha nahi paaya."

Woh bahut der tak wahi baitha raha.

Us din ghar jaate waqt uske dimaag me sirf wahi scene repeat ho raha tha.

Usse lag raha tha ki woh kisi ko bhi nahi bacha sakta.

Na khud ko.

Na kisi aur ko.

Agle kuch din Kartikey aur zyada quiet ho gaya.

School me log use bully karte rahe.

Lekin ab woh jawab bhi nahi deta tha.

Class khatam hoti.

Woh ghar jaata.

Ghar par chup rehta.

Phir agle din wahi routine.

School.

Tution.

Ghar.

Sona.

Aur phir wahi sab dobara.

Kartikey ki duniya bahut chhoti ho gayi thi.

Ek din school se wapas aate waqt woh akela road par chal raha tha.

Aasmaan me badal the.

Hawa thandi thi.

Kartikey apne thoughts me lost tha.

Tabhi kisi se uski takkar ho gayi.

"Sorry!"

Kartikey turant peeche hata.

"Sorry, mujhe dekhna chahiye tha."

Uske saamne ek ladki khadi thi.

Kartikey kuch seconds tak chup raha.

Usne pehle use school me nahi dekha tha.

Ladki ne uski taraf dekha.

"Are you okay?"

Kartikey ne sir hilaya.

"Haan."

Ladki ne halka sa smile kiya.

"Good."

Woh aage badhne lagi.

Kartikey ne ek second ke liye uski taraf dekha.

Pata nahi kyun...

Uska attention us ladki par ruk gaya.

Shayad uski smile ki wajah se.

Ya shayad isliye kyunki bahut dino baad kisi ne usse bina mazaak udaaye poocha tha—

"Are you okay?"

Ladki kuch steps aage ja chuki thi.

Phir woh achanak ruk gayi.

Palatkar Kartikey ki taraf dekha.

"Waise..."

Kartikey ne uski taraf dekha.

"Mera naam Anshika hai."

Kartikey thoda surprised hua.

"Main Kartikey."

Anshika muskurayi.

"Nice to meet you, Kartikey."

Kartikey ne dheere se kaha,

"Nice to meet you too."

Dono kuch seconds tak ek doosre ko dekhte rahe.

Phir Anshika ne poocha,

"Tum hamesha itne serious rehte ho?"

Kartikey ne halka sa smile karne ki koshish ki.

"Nahi."

Anshika ne eyebrow raise ki.

"Jhooth."

Kartikey ke face par pehli baar thodi genuine smile aayi.

"Tum mujhe jaanti bhi nahi ho."

"Abhi to naam pata chala hai."

"To phir?"

"Baaki jaan lenge."

Kartikey kuch nahi bol paaya.

Anshika ne apne baal peeche kiye aur kaha,

"Kal milte hain."

Kartikey ne sir hila diya.

"Kal."

Anshika chali gayi.

Kartikey wahi khada raha.

Pata nahi kyun...

Aaj ghar jaate waqt uska dil pehle se thoda halka lag raha tha.

Usse nahi pata tha ki Anshika ka uski zindagi me kya role hone wala tha.

Usse ye bhi nahi pata tha ki ye chhoti si mulaqat aage chalkar uski poori duniya badal degi.

Filhaal...

Kartikey ke liye Anshika bas ek ladki thi.

Ek ladki...

Jisne usse pehli baar genuinely poocha tha—

"Are you okay?"

Aur shayad...

Kabhi-kabhi kisi ki life badalne ke liye itna hi kaafi hota hai.

To be continued...