The Begging

Ek chhota sa gaon tha, jisme Karn apne parivaar ke saath rehta tha. Uski duniya bahut chhoti thi, lekin us duniya mein pyar aur khushi ki koi kami nahi thi. Us din dopahar ka samay tha, Karn apne doston ke saath gaon ke paas ki nadi ke kinare khel raha tha. Nadi ka paani suraj ki roshni mein chamak raha tha, aur Karn apni masoom muskaan ke saath paani ke sath khelte hue khud mein hi mast tha.

"Aree wah! Ek achha sa fal!" Karn ki nazar nadi ke kinare ek bade ped par latke hue lal aur ras bhare fal par padi. Uski aankhon mein ek alag si chamak thi. Woh bina kuch soche ped par chadh gaya aur kuch hi der mein fal tod kar neeche utar aaya.

"Yeh fal maa aur papa ke saath baatunga," Karn ne apne mann mein socha aur fal ko apni shirt mein lapetkar apne ghar ki taraf daud gaya. Uske kadmon ki tez aawaz maano zameen ko bhi bata rahi thi ki woh kitna khush hai.

Lekin jaise hi woh apne ghar ke paas pahuncha, uske kadam achanak se ruk gaye. Uske samne jo drishya tha, usne Karn ki masoomiyat ko hamesha ke liye chheen liya. Ghar ke bahar har taraf khoon faila hua tha. Darwaze ka ek hissa tuta hua tha aur andar se cheekhne ki awaz aa rahi thi. Karn ka mann ghabra gaya, lekin uski maa aur papa ka khayal usse majbooti de raha tha.

Woh dheere-dheere kadam badhata hua ghar ke andar gaya. Andar ka drishya aur bhi bhayanak tha. Diwaron par khoon ke dhabbe, tute huye furniture, aur har taraf ek ajeeb si khamoshi thi. Uska dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha.

Aur tabhi usne dekha, Angara. Ek lamba, daraavna aadmi, kaale aur laal rang ke roshan ankhon ke sath, Karn ki maa ka kata hua sir apne haathon mein uthaye khada tha. Angara ke chehre par ek ajeeb si muskaan thi, jo maano uske dil ke shaitani iraadon ko dikhati thi.

Karn ki saansen ruk gayi. Uski aankhon se aansoon behne lage, lekin woh awaaz bhi nahi nikal pa raha tha. Uska chhota sa dil iss dard ko samajhne ke liye tayar nahi tha. Usne dheere se peeche mur kar wahan se bhaagne ki koshish ki.

Dar ke maare woh itni tez daud raha tha ki uske kadam zameen ko bhi mehsoos nahi kar rahe the. Nadi ke paas pahunchkar woh gir gaya aur zor-zor se rona shuru kar diya. Uska mann chahta tha ki woh apne parivaar ke paas wapas jaye, lekin uske andar itni himmat nahi thi. Uski masoom duniya ek pal mein bikhar chuki thi.

Woh raat Karn ke liye sabse badi raat thi. Us din usne ek faisla kiya – woh apni maa aur papa ki maut ka badla lega. Chahe use apni jaan hi kyun na deni pade.

Us raat ka ek ek pal uski zindagi ka hissa ban gaya. Angara ka chehra, uski maa ka kata hua sir, aur ghar ka khooni drishya – yeh sab kuch uske sapno mein aata tha. Karn ke dil mein ek aag jal gayi thi, jo ab kabhi nahi bujhegi.

To be ccontinue.......

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