Awaazon Ka Ghera

hota hai, Anaya?" Zayan ne uski taraf dekh kar sawal kiya. "Kya normal wo hota hai jo dunya chahti hai? Ya wo jo tum khud ho?" Anaya ne uski baat sun kar Zayan ki taraf dekha. Uski aankhon mein ab bhi thora dard tha, magar Zayan ki baat ne uske dil ko chhoya tha. "Mujhe nahi pata, Zayan," Anaya ne sachai se kaha. "Meri poori zindagi mujhe yehi sikhaya gaya hai ke jo main hoon, wo ghalat hai." Zayan ne gaari ek taraf roki. Barish ab tez ho chuki thi aur gaari ki khirkiyon se baarish ki boondein tapak rahi thiin. Usne gaari ki light dim ki aur Anaya ki taraf poori tarah palta. "Tum ghalat nahi ho, Anaya," Zayan ne kaha, uski awaaz mein pukhtagi thi. "Tum sirf alag ho. Aur is mein koi burai nahi. Humein apni khamoshi ke liye sharminda hone ki zaroorat nahi hai. Hum khamosh hain, magar hamare andar ki dunya bohat gehri aur khoobsurat hai. Aur jo log us gehrayi ko nahi samajhte, wo sirf upar ki satah dekhte hain." Anaya ne Zayan ki aankhon mein dekha. Uski aankhon mein usko pehli baar kisi ki poori tasdeeq nazar aayi. Kisi aur ki nahi, ek aise insaan ki jo usko uski asliyat mein qabool kar raha tha. Uska dil halka hone laga. "Meri Ammi ne jo kuch kaha, us par dhyaan mat dena," Zayan ne narm awaaz mein kaha. "Wo mera masla hai. Main unse baat karunga. Lekin tum... tum khud ko kabhi ghalat mat samajhna." Anaya ne halka sa sar hilaya. Uske ansoo ab ruk chuke thay. "Shukriya," usne kaha. Ye lafz uske dil ki gehrayon se nikle thay. "Aap... aap se mil kar mujhe lagta hai ke main sach mein akeli nahi hoon." Zayan ke chehre par halki si muskurahat aayi. "Akela main bhi nahi hoon," usne kaha. "Tumhe dekh kar mujhe lagta hai ke meri khamoshi bhi akeli nahi." Barish ki awaaz ab unke charon taraf thi, jaise dunya unki khamoshi ki sun rahi ho. Gaari ke andar ki khamoshi ab takleef deh nahi thi, balkay sukoon aur hamdardi se bhari hui thi. "Aur ek baat," Zayan ne kaha, uski awaaz mein thora shaitani andaz tha. "Meri Ammi ne jo kuch bhi kaha... wo unki apni soch hai. Tumhari wajah se main kamzor nahi hua, balkay tumhari wajah se mujhe himmat mili hai. Himmat... Ammi ke saamne bolne ki." Anaya ne halki si hansi hansi. Ye uski hansi thi jo Zayan ne pehli baar suni thi. Khamosh, narm, magar gehri. Usko laga jaise uske dil mein koi phool khil utha ho. Zayan ne muskurate hue gaari dobara start ki. Raat ab gehri ho chuki thi aur barish mein sheher ke rang dhul kar zyada chamakdaar lag rahe thay. Ab unke darmiyan sirf Anaya ke ghar tak ka safar nahi tha, balkay us safar ki shuruat thi jahan wo dono apni khamoshi ke sath dunya ka samna karne wale thay. Zayan ki Ammi ko jawab dena, ye to sirf pehli seedhi hai, Zayan ne soch. Asal jung to abhi shuru hui hai. Usne Anaya ki taraf dekha, jo ab khirki se bahar dekh rahi thi, uske chehre par ab dard ki jagah halki si muskurahat thi. Aur is jung mein main akela nahi. Mere paas Anaya hai. Zayan ke dil mein ek naya azm paida hua. Jo kuch aaj hua tha, usne usse zayan ko andar tak hila diya tha, magar usse bhi zyada usne usse ek nayi taqat di thi. Anaya ki khamoshi mein usne apni aawaz dhoond li thi.