Adhoora khawab
Raat ky do baj rahe thay jab poori duniya neend ki gehri aghosh mein thi, magar Arzoo ki aankhon sy neend koso door thi. Woh kamray ki khirki ke paas khari bahar barasti hui barish ko dekh rahi thi. Barish ki har boond jaisy usky zakhmi dil par namak chirak rahi thi.
Usny apny kaampte huye hathon mein thami hui us purani tasveer ko zor se apny seenay sy lagaya. Aankhon se ek garam aansu nikal kar tasveer par gira aur us shaks ka chehra dhundla kar gaya jo kabhi uski poori duniya hua karta tha.
“Mohabbat...?” Usny talkhi sy muskurate huye khud se sawal kiya. “Mohabbat to shayad ek khubsurat dhoka tha, aur is dhoke ki qeemat main apni rooh de kar chuka rahi hoon.”
Tabhi peeche se ek sakht qadmon ki awaaz aayi. Arzoo ka dil zor se dharka. Woh baghair mure bhi samajh gayi thi ke ye kaun hai. Woh khushbu, woh bhari qadam... yei Zaviyar khan tha.
“Abhi tak jaag rahi ho?” Zaviyar ki sapat aur thandi awaaz kamray mein goonji. Usky lafzo mein na koi mohabbat thi, na koi hamdardi.
Arzoo ne jaldi se apne aansu saaf kiye aur palat kar usay dekha.Zaviyar khan apni makhsoos garoor bhari ankhon se usay dekh raha tha. Wahi aankhein jin mein kabhi Arzoo ko apna aks nazar aata tha, aaj wahan sirf nafrat aur be-rukhi thi.
“Zaviyar... aap is waqt?” Arzoo ki awaaz larkharayi.
“Mujhe tum se sawal karne ka haq hai, tumhein nahi.” Zaviyar usky qareeb aya aur usky hath se woh tasveer jhatak di. “Yei guzra hua waqt hai Arzoo, aur main purani yaadon ko apne ghar mein jagah nahi deita.”
Arzoo khamosh rahi. Woh kaise batati ke yei sirf tasveer nahi, yei uska wajood tha jo aaj Zaviyar ky qadmon mein bikhra para tha. Yei Ishq-e-Ziyan (mohabbat ka nuqsan) ab uska naseeb ban chuka tha, aur abhi to dukh ka safar shuru hua tha...
