Chapter 2: Sone Ka Pinjra (The Golden Cage)

Chapter 2: Sone Ka Pinjra (The Golden Cage) Gaari ke andar ka mahol bahar ke toofaan se zyada ghutan bhara tha. Asiya passenger seat par simat kar baithi thi, uska geela suit seat ke mehangay leather ko kharaab kar raha tha, magar Hamza ko iski koi parwah nahi thi. Uska dhyan sirf road par aur beech beech mein rearview mirror ke zariye Asiya par tha. Achanak, darwazon ke lock hone ki 'click' awaaz goonji. Asiya ka dil dehel gaya. Usne darrte darrte Hamza ki taraf dekha. "Hum... hum kahan ja rahe hain?" Asiya ki awaaz kisi toote hue sheeshe ki tarah kamzor thi. Hamza ne steering wheel par haath phiraaya. Uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb sa sukoon tha, jaise koi shikaari apne shikaar ko jaal mein dekh kar mutma'in ho jata hai. "Ghar," usne mukhtasar jawab diya. "Mere ghar. Wahan tum mehfooz raho gi." "Lekin main apne hostel jana chahti hoon!" Asiya ne thora zor de kar kaha, halaanke woh jaanti thi ke is aadmi ke aagay uski marzi ki koi haisiyat nahi. Hamza ke jabray (jaw) ki ragon mein harkat hui. Usne gaari ki speed barha di. "Hostel mehfooz nahi hai. Tumhe andaza nahi hai Asiya, tumhare peeche kya laga hua hai. Sawaal mat karo." Kuch dair baad gaari ek aalishan mansion ke lohay ke gate ke aagay ruki. Yeh jagah shehar ke shor se door, ek sunsaan ilaqay mein thi. Bari bari deewaron aur security cameras ne ghar ko kisi qilay (fortress) mein badal rakha tha. Gate khula aur gaari andar drive-way par aa kar ruki. Hamza ne gaari band ki aur pehle khud utra, phir ghoom kar Asiya ki taraf ka darwaza khola. Baarish abhi bhi halki ho rahi thi. Usne apna coat utaar kar Asiya ke kandhon par daal diya. Coat mein uski wohi mardana khushboo thi jo Asiya ke hosh ura rahi thi. "Aao," usne haath barhaya. Asiya ne uske haath ko thukrana chaha, magar uski aankhon ki surkhi dekh kar sehmi hui ungliyan uske haath mein de dein. Hamza ki pakar sakht thi, maalikana thi. Andar hall mein khamoshi thi. Naukar khamoshi se sar jhukaye khare thay, jaise unhein Hamza ke mood ka andaza ho. Hamza usay seedha upar wali manzil par ek kamray mein le gaya. Kamra bohot bara tha, kisi shehzadi ke khwab jaisa, magar Asiya ko yeh kisi 'Sone ke Pinjre' se kam nahi laga. "Tum geeli ho, bemaar par jaogi," Hamza ne cupboard ki taraf ishara kiya. Wahan bed par ek bada sa gift box rakha tha. "Isme kapde hain. Change kar lo. Main bahar wait kar raha hoon." Hamza ke jaane ke baad, Asiya ne kaanpte haathon se box khola. Andar ek intehayi khubsurat, reshmi 'Safed Libas' (White Dress) rakha tha. Yeh koi aam shalwar kameez nahi thi, balki kisi purane zamane ka shahi libas lag raha tha. Kapde ko chootay hi Asiya ke zehen mein ek khaufnaak khayal aaya. 'Yeh aadmi... kya yeh mujhe badalna chahta hai? Kya main iske liye koi khilona hoon ya kisi aur ki parchayi?' Woh bathroom mein gayi, magar sheeshe mein apni sooji hui aankhein dekh kar usay rona aa gaya. Woh yahan qaid thi, ek ajnabi ke ghar mein jo usay apni 'Qismat' kehta tha.