Maidan ab ek khamosh qabristan ban chuka tha, jahan maut ki thandak ne un sab ko apni lapait mein le liya tha jo thodi dair pehle zindagi ki darindagi mein masroof thay. Mark ne sar uthaya. Uske chehre par khoon ke kuch cheente thay. Woh seedha us taraf chal diya jahan se island ka asal andhera shuru hota tha.
Rasta hamwar nahi tha. Pathreeli deewarein aur tang galiyan kisi bhool-bhulaiyan ki tarah. jahan har mod par maut ne pehra bitha rakha hai. Magar Mark ruka nahi. Uska wajood ab ek be-reham raftar pakar chuka tha.
Pehla aadmi saaye se namoodar hua. “Kaun…” Jumla hawa mein hi dum tod gaya. Mark ki kalayi ghoomi, khanjar ki dhaar ne roshni ko chhua. Agle hi pal, wo shakhs apni gardan thaamay zameen par dher ho chuka tha. Khoon ki garm dhaar ne Mark ke booton ko bhigoya, magar usne mud kar nahi dekha.
Doosra guard apni rifle utha kar peeche bhaaga. Mark ne cheetah ki tarah chalaang lagayi aur usay hawa mein hi daboach liya. Deewar se takraane ki awaaz kisi haddi ke tootne jaisi thi. Mark ne khanjar seedha uske seene mein utaara ek gehra, cut. Guard ki aankhen phatt gayin, saans ruk gayi, aur Mark ne usay kisi raddi kaghaz ki tarah ek taraf phenk diya.
Teesra door se goli chalata hai. Goli Mark ke kaan ke paas se nikal gayi. Mark ne rukh badla, zameen par roll kiya aur faasla mita diya. Usne guard ki kalayi pakar kar ghumayi haddi ke chatakhne ki awaaz khamosh jungle mein goonji. Mark ne uski gardan daboachi aur ek jhatke se ghumaya. Guard zameen par gira.
Ab koi sawal nahi tha, na koi jawab. Sirf rasta tha aur us raaste mein kharay log, jinhein Mark gajar mooli ki tarah kaat’ta hua aage barh raha tha. Har qadam ke sath uski saans ukhri nahi, balkay aur hamwar hoti gayi. Yeh gussa nahi tha, yeh ek pur-sukoon tabahi thi.
Aakhir-kar, woh ek bhari, siah darwaze ke samne ruka. Andar se halki si music ki awaaz aa rahi thi…. ek ajeeb, mutazaad dhun jo is maut-zada island par kisi aur duniya ka nishaan lag rahi thi. Mark ne darwaze ko dhakka diya.
Kamra roshni se jagmaga raha tha. Qaleen, mehnga furniture aur sharab ki qeemti bottles. Aur kamre ke darmiyan mein, peeche ki taraf rukh kiye khara tha…..Roger.
Uske lambay baal ponytail mein bandhe thay, chauri chaati aur mazboot jism kisi jang-ju (warrior) jaisa tha. Jab woh palta, to uske chehre par maujood gehra purana zakhm roshni mein chamka. Magar uski aankhen… woh surkh theen, jaise un mein koi purani aag jal rahi ho.
Roger aahista se muskuraya. “Mark… tum wapas aa gaye.” Uski awaaz itni pur-sukoon thi jaise koi purana dost muddaton baad mil raha ho.
Mark ne ek qadam aage barhaya. Uska pura jism tana hua tha. “Main hisaab lene aaya hoon.” Awaaz barf ki tarah thandi thi.
Roger ne glass uthaya, us mein bhari sharab ko halka sa ghumaya aur phir mez par rakh diya. “Tum ab bhi waise hi ho… seedha point par ao.”
“Hazel.” Mark ne naam liya, aur kamre ka darja-hararat gir gaya.
Roger ki aankhen halki si sukri.
“Kabeer.” Mark ne dusra naam liya. “Un dono ka hisaab aaj chukana hai.”
Roger khamosh raha. Usne ek gehri saans li aur phir uske honton par ek ajeeb si muskurahat aayi. “Ajeeb hai… tumhein lagta hai maine unhein mara?”
Mark ki aankhon mein sufaid aag jal uthi. “Tumhare siwa aur kaun?”
Roger ne seedha uski aankhon mein dekha. Is baar koi mazaq nahi tha. “Maine unhein nahi mara.”
Ek gehri, bhari khamoshi cha gayi. Yeh jumla itna bhaari tha ke Mark ka zehan ek pal ke liye chakra gaya. Magar agle hi lamhay, usne saari taqat samait kar hamla kiya.
Mark ka pehla punch Roger ke jabray par laga. Khoon hawa mein uchaala. Roger peeche hila, magar gira nahi. Usne palat kar ek bhari waar kiya jo Mark ke seene par laga. Mark deewar se ja takraya, deewar mein dararen par gayin.
Mout ka khail shuru ho chuka tha. Roger bhari tha, taqatwar… uska har hit haddi tak jata tha. Magar Mark tez tha, uska har move calculate tha.
Mark ne Roger ki aankh par ek aur waar kiya, phir uske ghutne par kick maari. Roger ne pechy hat kar Mark ko uthaya aur zameen par de maara. “Tum badal gaye ho Mark… magar itna nahi!” Roger ne hanste hue kaha, uske munh se khoon tapak raha tha.
Mark ne khud ko uske neeche se nikaala aur dobara us par toot pada. “Main badla nahi hoon… main jaag gaya hoon!”
Punch, kick, khoon ki boochhaar aur toot’ti hui saansein. Kamre ka furniture tabah ho chuka tha. Dono ke jism zakhmon se chur thay. Aakhir-kar, Mark ne ek lamhay ki susti pakri. Usne Roger ke waar ko deflect kiya aur apna khanjar poori quwwat se uske seene mein utaar diya.
Dono ek pal ke liye thahar gaye. Roger ki aankhen seedha Mark par theen. Un ankhon mai khauf or be-yaqeeni thi. Roger ne khoon se bhari ek aakhri saans li aur Mark ke kaan ke qareeb jhuka.
“…maine… unhein… nahi mara…”
Awaaz toot gayi, magar jumla poora tha. Roger ka jism dheela par gaya, aankhen khuli reh gayin aur zindagi uske jism se hamesha ke liye nikal gayi.
Kamra ab mutlaq khamosh tha. Sirf Mark ki bhari saansein goonj rahi theen. Usne khanjar nikala, uska haath ab bhi laraz raha tha. Magar uski aankhon mein woh sukoon nahi tha jo woh dhoondne aaya tha. Wahan ek pur-houl uljhan thi.
Usne Roger ki be-jaan laash ko dekha. Uski aakhri bat Mark ke zehan mein kisi hatode ki tarah baj rahi thi.
Maine unhein nahi mara…
Mark dheere se peeche hata. Agar yeh sach tha… agar Roger qatil nahi tha… to phir kaun?
Andhera ab island se nikal kar Mark ke andar utarne laga tha. Aur is dafa, uske paas koi rasta nahi tha.