Chapter 3: Dushman Ki Dastak (The Enemy’s Knock)

Chapter 3: Dushman Ki Dastak (The Enemy's Knock) Neeche study room mein, Hamza cigarette ke kash laga raha tha. Kamra dhuwein aur tanau (tension) se bhara hua tha. Uski maiz par ek gun aur kuch bikhre hue kagazat pare thay. Uska khaas aadmi, Rashid, sar jhukaye khara tha. "Dawood ko khabar lag gayi hai?" Hamza ne thande lehjay mein poocha, magar uski aawaz mein toofaan chupa tha. "Jee Boss," Rashid ne darrte hue jawab diya. "Uske aadmi bus stop ke qareeb dekhe gaye thay. Agar aap waqt par na pohanchte, toh woh Miss Asiya ko utha le jatay." Hamza ne gusse se cigarette ashtray mein masal di. Uski aankhein angaaron ki tarah dehakne lagin. "Dawood bhool gaya hai ke main cheezon ki hifazat nahi karta... main unhein 'own' karta hoon. Aur jo cheez meri hai, usay chune wale ka haath main jism se alag kar deta hoon." Tabhi Hamza ka phone baja. Screen par 'Unknown Number' tha. Hamza ne phone uthaya aur speaker par daal diya. "Mubarak ho, Hamza," doosri taraf se Dawood ki makrooh hansi sunayi di. "Nayi chiriya pakri hai? Suna hai bohot masoom hai. Magar kab tak pinjre mein chupao ge? Jab main aonga, toh tera yeh qila bhi usay nahi bacha payega." Hamza ne daant peeste hue, apne gusse par qaboo paaya. "Tu aa kar toh dekh, Dawood. Tera woh haal karunga ke teri aane wali naslein khauf se paida hongi. Asiya meri hai. Uske saaye ko bhi chu'a toh pura shehar jala dunga." Usne phone kaat kar deewar par de maara. Phone ke tukre farsh par bikhar gaye. Hamza ne gehri saans li aur apni aankhein band ki. Usay sukoon chahiye tha, aur sukoon sirf upar wale kamray mein tha. Upar kamray mein, Asiya ne woh safed libas pehen liya tha. Woh kamray ka jaiza le rahi thi ke shayad bhaagne ka koi raasta mil jaye. Bed ki side table par ek purani, moti si 'Black Notebook' rakhi thi. Asiya ne ghabrahat mein usay khola. Diary ki likhai be-tarteeb aur aggressive thi, jaise likhne wale ne bohot gusse ya dard mein likha ho. Kuch alfaz par siyahi pheli hui thi. *"Woh aayegi... mujhe yakeen hai. Maa kehti thi safed libas uski hifazat karega. Mujhe darr lagta hai ke mera apna junoon usay dara na de. Magar main kya karoon? Main uske bina saans nahi le sakta... woh meri rooh ka hissa hai."* Asiya parh kar sunn reh gayi. Yeh diary Hamza ki thi. Aur yeh aaj ki nahi, balki kayi saal purani lag rahi thi. 'Woh aayegi'—kya woh uska intezaar kar raha tha? Ya yeh kisi aur ke liye tha? Darwaze ka handle ghooma. Asiya ne jhat se diary band kar ke peeche chupayi. Hamza andar daakhil hua. Usne safed libas mein Asiya ko dekha toh wohin jam gaya. Uski aankhon mein jo expression tha woh bhook (hunger) aur parastish (worship) ka mixture tha. "Tum..." Hamza dheere se chalta hua uske qareeb aaya. Asiya peeche hat-ti gayi yahan tak ke deewar aa gayi. Hamza ne apna haath uthaya aur uske gaal ko chu'a nahi, bas hawa mein ungliyan roki rakhein, jaise woh koi tootne wali kanch ki guriya ho. "Bilkul waisi lag rahi ho, jaisa maine socha tha," Hamza ne sargoshi ki. "Ab koi tumhe mujhse cheen nahi sakta. Dawood bhi nahi." Asiya ne pehli baar himmat ki. "Dawood? Woh kaun hai? Aap kis dushmani ki baat kar rahe hain?" Hamza ka chehra sakht ho gaya. Usne Asiya ke kandhon ko thora zor se pakra. "Woh baatein tumhare liye nahi hain. Tumhara kaam sirf mere paas rehna hai. Is kamray se bahar nikalne ki koshish mat karna." Woh palta aur darwaze ki taraf barh gaya, phir ruk kar bola, "Khana yahan aa jayega. Aur haan... yeh safed libas mat utarna. Yeh tumhe mujhse bachata hai." Darwaza band hua aur phir se lock ki awaaz aayi. Asiya wahan khari reh gayi, safed libas mein lipti hui, ek unknown dushman ke khauf aur Hamza ke junoon ke beech mein phansi hui.