Chapter 3: The Marking (Pehla Nishaan)
The Marking (Pehla Nishaan)
Mansion ki thandi deewaron ke beech Oat ko ab darr nahi, balki ek ajeeb si kashish (attraction) mehsoos ho rahi thi. Boat use dekh toh nahi raha tha, par Oat jaanta tha ki Boat ki nazrein har pal us par hain.
Achanak, mansion ke purane darwaze apne aap khulne lage aur ek kaali parchhayi (Evil Spirit) Oat ki taraf tezi se badhi. Oat darr ke maare chillaya, "Boat!"
Agli hi pal, ek neela dhamaka hua.
Boat Oat ke samne khada tha. Usne sirf apna hath hawa mein lehraya aur wo buri rooh raakh mein badal gayi. Boat ka gussa dekh kar zameen kaanpne lagi thi. Wo muda aur Oat ka collar pakad kar use apne seene se laga liya.
"Maine kaha tha na," Boat ki awaz gusse se phat rahi thi, "Yahan mujhse zyada khatarnak aur bhi cheezein hain. Tum itne la-parwah kaise ho sakte ho?"
Oat ki saansein tez thi. Usne Boat ki aankhon mein dekha, jisme pehli baar gusse ke sath-sath Dar (Fear) bhi tha—Oat ko khone ka darr.
"Aapne mujhe bacha liya," Oat ne phus-phusaya.
Boat ne Oat ki gardan par apna thanda hath rakha. "Tumhe koi aur nahi chhoo sakta. Tum par sirf mera haq hai."
Boat ne apni neeli talwar ki shakti ko apni ungliyon mein sameta aur Oat ki gardan par ek nishaan (Mark) bana diya. Oat ko ek halki si jalan mehsoos hui, par uske sath hi ek ajeeb sa apnapan bhi.
"Ab se," Boat ne Oat ke kaan ke paas kaha, "Tumhari har dhadkan meri ijazat se chalegi. Tum is Ghost ki pehchan ho."
Oat ne mehsus kiya ki Boat ka touch ab utna thanda nahi lag raha tha. Shayad unka dard ek dusre mein ghulne laga tha.
