Raat ne abhi poori tarah dam nahi toda tha aur shehar ki roshniyan abhi mazi ka hissa bhi nahi bani theen jab Mark ne khamoshi se sarhad paar ki. Na kisi ko ittela di, na peeche mur kar dekha. Uske saamne sirf ek siyah raasta tha jo samundar ki boseeda lehron se hota hua us jagah ja nikalta tha jahan se koi zinda wapas nahi aata: Kapola Island.
Ek chhoti si kashti namak-zada hawaon ko cheerte hue aage barh rahi thi. Mark khamosh baitha tha, uski aankhen saamne ufaq par jami theen…un aankhon mein khof nahi tha, bus ek sard manzil ka junoon tha. Uske jism par purane zakhmon ki tees thi, magar irada faulad se zyada sakht.
Door se island namoodar hua. Darakhton ka ek aisa ghana jhund jaise zameen ne maut ka libaas pehen rakha ho. Jungle itna pur-asrar tha ke sooraj ki roshni bhi andar dakhil hone se katrati thi.
“Yahan se aage maut ka raasta hai sahab… main agy nahi ja sakta,” boat wale ki awaaz darr se laraz rahi thi. Mark ne koi jawab nahi diya. Woh kashti se utra aur daldali paani ko cheerte hue sahil par qadam rakha.
Jungle ke andar qadam rakhte hi faza badal gayi. Bahar ki thandak ab ek ajeeb si ubalti hui ghutan mein tabdeel ho chuki thi. Hawa mein sarnay ki boo aur geeli mitti ki maut-zada mehak rachi basi thi. Har taraf se ajeeb-o-ghareeb awazein aa rahi theen Janwaro ki darawni awazain ya shayad kisi ke karahne ki sada.
Mark mohtaat qadmon se aage barha. Zameen kahin kahin kaali pad chuki thi, jaise wahan khoon ne mitti ka rang badal diya ho. Achanak, usay apne sar ke upar kuch hilne ki aahat hui.
Usne sar uthaya… aur uski saans ek pal ke liye seene mein jam gayi.
Ek laash. Purane bargad ke darakht se latak rahi thi. Uska khoon sookh kar siyah ho chuka tha, jism aadha gal kar haddiyon ka nishaan ban raha tha. Uski aadhi khuli aankhen seedha neeche Mark ki taraf dekh rahi theen, jaise usay anjam se khabardaar kar rahi hon.
Mark ne nazrein ghumayin to poora manzar horror film ka ek khofnaak scene ban gaya. Dusra darakht… teesra… har taraf laashein latak rahi theen. Kuch nayi theen jin ke zakhmon se abhi bhi khoon ris raha tha, aur kuch sirf purani haddiyan jo rassi se jhul rahi theen. Hawa tez hui to un rasiyon ke chirchirane ki awaaz jungle mein ek ajeeb sa shor paida karne lagi.
“Roger wo darinda ban chuka hai…”
Mark ki ne khud se kaha,
“jisy is dunia se mitana lazim ho gya hai”
Yahan log marte nahi thay, maut unka nishaan banai jati thi taake aane wala har shakhs apni himmat wahin dafan kar de. Magar Mark ka dil pathar ban chuka tha.
Darakhton ki bech se hota hua, Mark aage barha. Zameen par ghaseetne ke nishaan aur khoon ke dhabbe usay ek makhsoos simt le ja rahe thay. Achanak door se ek zard roshni nazar aayi.
Mark foran jhuk gaya aur ghani jhaariyon ke peeche chup kar dekhne laga.
Saamne ek khula maidan tha. Beech mein bade bade drums pare thy. Uske aas paas roger k aadmi bethe thay. Unki hansi mein insaniyat ka koi nishaan nahi tha. Woh sharab pee rahe thay, shor macha rahe thay, jaise laashon ke us jungle mein maut nahi balkay koi jashn manaya ja raha ho. Unki harkaton mein ek darindagi thi, ek aisi be-parwai jo sirf un logon mein hoti hai jo maut se khelnay ke aadi hon.
Mark ne tezi se security ka jaiza liya. Guard posts, entry points, aur pehre-daaron ki positions sab kuch usne apne zehan ke naqshe par utaar liya. Phir uski nazar maidan ke doosri taraf, ek oonchai par gayi.
Pathron ke darmiyan ek mazboot qila bana hua tha. Wahan roshni kam thi, magar hifazat ka nizaam itna sakht tha ke parinda bhi par na maar sakay.
“Roger…”
Mark ke honton se yeh naam ek fana kar dene wali sarsarahat ki tarah nikla.
Woh Roger ka base tha. Wohi shakhs jis ne Mark ki dunya ujaar di thi, ab us se mehaz kuch sau meter ki doori par tha. Mark khamoshi se andheron mein wapas ghul gaya. Khel ab shuru hone wala tha.