Murree ki woh raat ajeeb thi, jaise pahaaron ne saans rok rakhi ho. Bijli gul thi teesri baar us din, aur is baar generator bhi khaansi de kar khamosh ho gaya tha. Cottage ke andar sirf do lalten jal rahi thin, unki roshni mein khirki ke bahar girti baraf aag ke angaaron si lag rahi thi. Hina, 23 saal ki, shawl mein lipti khirki ke paas khadi thi, aur uski saans sheeshe par dhund bana rahi thi. Abbu, Salman, 52 saal ke, drawing room mein purani diary parh rahe the, lalten ki roshni mein unka chehra aur gehra lag raha tha. Aur Adeel, 25 saal ka, kitchen mein chaye bana raha tha — jaise kuch hua hi na ho, jaise uske dil mein tufaan na chal raha ho.
“Phir se bijli gayi,” Hina ne dheemi awaaz mein kaha, baraf ko dekhte hue.
“Murree mein yeh aam hai,” Adeel ki awaaz peeche se aayi, garam chaye ka cup uske haath mein. “Lo, piyo. Haath thande ho rahe hain.”
Hina ne cup liya. Unki ungliyaan ek lamhe ko chhu gayin, aur usne foran haath kheench liya. Woh chhuan uske liye aam nahi thi. Kabhi nahi rahi thi.
Yeh cottage Salman ki thi — unki pehli biwi ke saath khareedi hui, jab Hina sirf chaar saal ki thi. Phir ammi guzar gayin, aur paanch saal baad Salman ne doosri shaadi ki — Adeel ki ammi se, jo khud bewah thin. Us din se Hina aur Adeel, sautelay behan-bhai ban gaye. Ghar ek tha, khana ek tha, chhat ek thi — lekin dono ke darmiyan hamesha ek deewar rahi, jise koi dekhta nahi tha.
Adeel us deewar ko do saal se todna chahta tha. Pehli baar usne Hina se kaha tha Lahore ke ghar mein, chhat par, jab barish ho rahi thi. Hina ne us waqt sirf itna kaha tha: “Pagal ho gaye ho? Hum behan-bhai hain.” Uske baad Adeel ne kabhi seedha izhaar nahi kiya, lekin uski aankhen har baar wohi kehti thin. Woh Hina ke liye chaye banata, uske kapde press karta, uski har baat yaad rakhta. Aur Hina… Hina apne dil ke darwaze par dono haathon se taala lagaye rakhti.
“Adeel, zara lakriyan lao,” Salman ne drawing room se awaaz di. “Aag bujh rahi hai.”
Adeel bahar nikal gaya, baraf mein uske qadmon ki aahat dab gayi. Hina ne khirki se dekha — lalten ki roshni porch tak pahunch rahi thi, aur Adeel lakriyan uthate hue bilkul aam lag raha tha. Lekin Hina jaanti thi, uske chehre ke peeche kya chhupa tha. Woh jaanti thi kyun woh usse aankhen churati thi. Kyunki jab woh uski taraf dekhti, to uske apne dil ki dhadkan use dara deti thi.
Chaye ka cup uske haathon mein garam tha, lekin uske haath kaanp rahe the. Usne cup mez par rakha aur shawl aur kas kar lipti. Bahar baraf tez ho gayi thi, hawa seengti hui khirkiyon se takra rahi thi. Bijli aane ke aasaar nahi the. Aur raat abhi bohat lambi thi.
Aag dobara jal uthi. Salman ne apni diary band ki aur chashma utaar kar aankhen malin. “Tum dono ko yaad hai, tumhari ammi ko Murree kitna pasand tha?” unhone kaha. “Har saal aate the. Hina to baraf mein khelte hue thak jaati thi.”
Hina muskurayi, lekin uski muskurahat mein dard tha. Ammi ke guzre hue barah saal ho gaye the, lekin Murree aate hi woh zinda ho jaatin thin — har darakht mein, har baraf ke zarre mein. “Yaad hai, abbu.”
Adeel lakriyan rakh kar baith gaya. Usne Hina ki taraf dekha, phir jaldi se nazar pher li. Salman ko kuch mehsoos hua — baap ki nazar se chhupi baat chhupi nahi rehti. “Adeel beta, tum theek ho?”
“Ji, abbu. Bas thak gaya hoon,” Adeel ne kaha. Woh Salman ko abbu kehta tha, dil se kehta tha. Salman ne use kabhi sautela nahi samjha tha.
Raat gehari hoti gayi. Salman jaldi so gaye — safar ki thakan. Ab drawing room mein sirf Hina aur Adeel the, aag ke saamne. Baraf khirkiyon par dastak de rahi thi. Lalten ki roshni dono ke chehron par naach rahi thi.
“Hina,” Adeel ne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.
“Mat kaho,” Hina ne foran kaha, aag ko dekhte hue.
“Tum jaanti ho main kya kehne wala hoon.”
“Isi liye keh rahi hoon — mat kaho.”
Adeel ne gehari saans li. “Do saal, Hina. Do saal se main yeh bojh uthaye phir raha hoon. Tum samajhti kyun nahi—”
“Main samajhti hoon!” Hina ki awaaz tez ho gayi, phir woh khamosh ho gayi, darwaze ki taraf dekhte hue jahan Salman so rahe the. “Isi liye darti hoon. Tum samajhte kyun nahi? Yeh ghar, yeh rishta, abbu ka bharosa… hum sautelay sahi, lekin duniya ke liye behan-bhai hain. Agar kisi ko pata chala—”
“Kisi ko kyun pata chalega?”
“Humein pata hai, Adeel! Mujhe pata hai!” uski aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Main roz aaine mein khud se nazren churati hoon. Tumhe lagta hai mujhe kuch mehsoos nahi hota? Hota hai. Aur isi liye main darti hoon. Kyunki ek baar yeh darwaza khul gaya, to wapas band nahi hoga.”
Adeel uske paas sarak aaya, lekin use chhua nahi. “Main tumse zabardasti nahi kar raha, Hina. Sirf itna keh raha hoon ke main tumse mohabbat karta hoon. Behan ki tarah nahi. Aur tum bhi… tum bhi wohi mehsoos karti ho, chaahe jitna inkaar karo.”
Hina uth khadi hui. “Main sone ja rahi hoon. Aur tum… tum bhi so jao. Kal subah baraf mein sair karenge, jaise purane dinon mein.”
Woh apne kamre ki taraf gayi. Adeel aag ko dekhta reh gaya, uske jabde tan gaye. Usne aaj phir haar maani thi — lekin haarne ka irada uska nahi tha.
Usi raat, jab Hina bistar par leti chhat ko dekh rahi thi, uske zehan mein ammi ka chehra ghoom raha tha. Ammi ne marte waqt uska haath pakad kar kaha tha: “Meri bachi, zindagi mein jo dil chahe, woh karna. Darr ke saaye mein jeena, jeena nahi hota.” Us waqt Hina bachi thi, usne samjha nahi tha. Aaj woh lafz uske kaanon mein goonj rahe the, aur uska dil tez dhadak raha tha.
Khirki ke bahar baraf ab bhi gir rahi thi, beawaaz, bechain.
Agli subah bijli wapas aa gayi thi, lekin baraf ne raaste band kar diye the. Gaari nikalna namumkin tha. Salman ne kaha, “Aaj cottage ki safai karte hain. Store mein purana samaan para hai, barson se haath nahi lagaya.”
Store ka darwaza kholte hi dhool ka toofan utha. Purane bakse, toote hue khilaune, aur ek lakri ka sandook — jis par taala laga tha. Hina ne use dekha to uski saans ruk gayi. “Yeh to ammi ka sandook hai,” usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha.
Salman ne chaabi nikali — unke paas ab bhi thi. Sandook khula, aur andar se waqt bahar nikal aaya. Purane kapde, chithhiyan, aur sab se neeche — ek mota album, chamre ki jild wala.
Teeno drawing room mein baithe. Salman ne album khola. Pehle safhe par ammi ki tasveer thi — jawan, hansi hui, baraf mein khadi. Hina ki aankhen bhar aayin. “Kitni khubsurat thin.”
Album ke panne palatte gaye. Purani yaadein, purane chehre. Phir ek safha aaya jahan Hina ruk gayi. Tasveer mein ammi ek jawan larke ke saath thin — woh Salman nahi the. Dono baraf mein khade muskur rahe the, aur unke darmiyan woh nazdeeki thi jo sirf mohabbat mein hoti hai.
“Yeh kaun hai, abbu?” Hina ne pucha.
Salman ne tasveer ko dekha, aur unke chehre par ek ajeeb muskurahat aayi — dard aur samajhdaari mili hui. “Iska naam tha… Daniyal. Tumhari ammi ke mohalle ka larka tha. Shaadi se pehle dono ek doosre ko chahte the.”
“Phir?” Adeel ne pucha.
“Phir qismat ne khel khela. Daniyal ka khandaan bahar chala gaya, aur tumhari ammi ki shaadi mujhse ho gayi. Lekin main jaanta tha, Hina. Tumhari ammi ne mujhe sab bataya tha — shaadi ki pehli raat ko hi. Usne kaha tha, ‘Salman, mera dil ek jagah atka hua hai, lekin main tumhara saath nibhaungi.’ Aur usne nibhaya. Behtareen biwi thi woh.”
Hina ne tasveer palti. Peeche ammi ki likhawat thi, halki siyahi mein: “Daniyal ke saath aakhri baraf. Kaash darr na hota. Kaash us din keh diya hota. Meri bachi ko meri yeh ghalti na dohrani pare — mohabbat darr se bari hoti hai.”
Hina ke haath kaanpne lage. Ammi ne yeh lafz uske liye likhe the? Ya apne liye? Shayad dono ke liye. Usne Adeel ki taraf dekha — woh use dekh raha tha, uski aankhon mein wohi sawal tha jo uske dil mein tha.
Salman ne album band kiya aur uth khade hue. “Main zara bahar tak jata hoon. Baraf dekhta hoon.” Woh jaan bujh kar kamre se nikal gaye, ya be-khabar — yeh koi nahi jaanta tha.
Kamre mein khamoshi chha gayi. Sirf aag ki chitkari sunayi de rahi thi.
“Ammi ne bhi darr ki wajah se mohabbat khoyi thi,” Hina ne dheemi awaaz mein kaha, tasveer ko dekhte hue. “Aur aakhir tak pachtatin rahin.”
Adeel ne uska haath pakda. Is baar Hina ne haath nahi kheenche.
“Main nahi chahti ke meri kahani bhi aisi tasveer ban jaye,” usne kaha, aur uski aankhon mein aansu the — lekin is baar darr ke nahi. “Adeel, main tumse… main bhi tumse mohabbat karti hoon. Barson se. Aur main thak gayi hoon isse chhupate chhupate.”
Adeel ne uske chehre ko apne haathon mein liya, bohat narmi se, jaise woh sheeshe ki bani ho. “Tumhe kabhi pachtana nahi parega, Hina. Main wada karta hoon.”
Usne uske maathe par bosa diya — pehla bosa, itna naram ke baraf ke zarre se bhi halka. Hina ne aankhen band kar lin, aur uske dil ki dhadkan tez ho gayi. Do saal ka inkaar, do saal ka darr — sab ek lamhe mein pighal gaya, jaise baraf dhoop mein.
Shaam ko Salman jaldi so gaye — unhone kaha ke sar mein dard hai. Hina jaanti thi ke woh jaan bujh kar rasta de rahe the, ya shayad waqai thake hue the. Farq nahi parta tha. Jab drawing room ka darwaza band hua, to Hina aur Adeel aag ke saamne akele reh gaye.
Hina ne shawl utaar di. Uske neeche halka gulaabi suit tha, jismein woh aur narm lag rahi thi. Adeel ne use dekha — is baar nazren churaye baghair, khul kar, poori chahat ke saath. Hina ke gaal surkh ho gaye, lekin usne nazren nahi jhukayin.
“Aao,” Adeel ne haath barhaya.
Hina ne uska haath thaam liya. Adeel ne use apne qareeb kheecha, itna qareeb ke dono ki saansen ek ho gayin. Usne Hina ke honton par apne hont rakhe — pehle dheeme, phir gehre. Hina ne uske baalon mein ungliyaan daal din, aur uske jism mein bijli si dor gayi. Uske hont naram the, garam the, aur unmein do saal ki pyaas thi.
Adeel ke haath uski kamar par phisalne lage, phir upar — uski peeth par, uske kandhon par. Hina ne uski qameez ke button kholne shuru kiye, ungliyaan kaanpti hui. Jab uski chhaati nangi hui, to Hina ne apna chehra wahan rakh diya, uske dil ki dhadkan sunte hue. Adeel ne uske baalon ko sehlaya, aur uska jism uske chhune par kaanp utha.
“Mujhe dar lag raha hai,” Hina ne sar goshi ki.
“Kis baat ka?”
“Ke yeh sapna ho. Ke main jaag jaun.”
Adeel ne use utha liya — woh halki thi, phool si — aur use narm kaaleen par lita diya, aag ke saamne. Lalten ki roshni mein uska chehra chamak raha tha. Usne uske suit ke button ek ek kar ke khole, har button ke saath uski saans tez hoti gayi. Jab uska jism nanga hua, to Adeel ne use dekha — poori izzat ke saath, poori chahat ke saath. Uske seenay ke ubhaar, uski kamar ka ghumao, uski raanon ki narmi — sab kuch uske liye dua ki tarah tha.
Usne jhuk kar uske gale par bosa diya, phir neeche — uske seenay par, uske ubhaaron par. Hina ne ek halki cheekh roki, uske haath Adeel ke baalon mein jakar gaye. Adeel ne uske narm ubhaaron ko apne munh mein liya, zubaan se unhe sehlaya, aur Hina ke jism mein lehren dor gayin. Usne apni taangen uske gird lipeet lin, be-ikhtiyaar.
Adeel ne apne kapde utaare. Uska jism mazboot tha, uska mardana uzv tan kar khada tha, Hina ke liye tarap raha tha. Hina ne use dekha, aur sharm se uske gaal laal ho gaye — lekin usne haath barhaya aur use chhua. Adeel ne ek gehari saans li, uske chhune par uska jism kaanp utha.
“Aahista,” Hina ne kaha. “Pehli baar hai.”
“Main tumhe kabhi takleef nahi dunga,” Adeel ne uski aankhon mein dekh kar kaha.
Usne uski raanen kholin, aur dheeme se uske andar dakhil hua. Hina ne dard se uske kandhe par nakhun gaar diye, lekin usne use roka nahi. “Ruko mat,” usne kaha. “Aage barho.”
Adeel dheeme dheeme harkat karne laga. Hina ka jism pehle sakht tha, phir dheela parne laga. Dard ke saath ek ajeeb maza bhi tha — ek poornata ka ehsaas. Usne apni taangen uski kamar ke gird kas lin, aur dono ek taal par hilne lage. Aag ki roshni mein unke saaye deewar par naach rahe the, ek doosre mein ghule hue.
Hina ki saansen tez ho gayin. “Adeel… main… mujhe kuch ho raha hai—”
“Aane do,” usne uske kaan mein sar goshi ki, aur tez ho gaya.
Ek lehar Hina ke jism mein uthi — tez, garam, be-qabu. Usne zor se uska naam liya, aur uska jism kaanpne laga. Usi lamhe Adeel bhi apni inteha ko pahuncha, aur usne apna chehra uske baalon mein chhupa liya. Dono paseene mein bhege, ek doosre se liptay, aag ke saamne lete rahe — aur bahar baraf girti rahi, khamosh gawah ki tarah.
Agla din baraf mein guzra. Salman ne dono ko chheda: “Tum dono ke chehre aaj kuch zyada hi khile hue hain.” Hina ne sharm se nazren jhuka lin, aur Adeel ne hansi mein baat taal di. Lekin dono ke darmiyan ab koi deewar nahi thi — sirf ek raaz tha, meetha aur garam.
Raat ko, jab Salman apne kamre mein chale gaye, to Hina ne Adeel ka haath pakda aur use apne kamre mein le gayi. Darwaza band kiya — pehli baar usne khud darwaza band kiya tha.
“Aaj meri baari,” usne kaha, aur uski aankhon mein shararat thi.
Usne Adeel ko bistar par bithaya aur uske saamne khadi ho gayi. Dheeme dheeme usne apna suit utaara — pehle dupatta, phir qameez, phir shalwar. Adeel ki saansen ruk gayin. Lalten ki roshni mein uska nanga jism chamak raha tha — uske bhare hue ubhaar, un par khade gulabi nuk, uski patli kamar, aur uski raanon ke darmiyan woh naram, geeli jagah jahan se khushbu uth rahi thi.
Hina uske qadmon mein baith gayi aur uski shalwar kholi. Uska mardana uzv bahar nikla — sakht, garam, uske liye tarapta hua. Hina ne use apne haathon mein liya, narmi se sehlaya, phir apne honton se chhua. Adeel ne ek gehari cheekh roki, uske haath uske baalon mein gaye.
Usne use apne munh mein liya — dheeme dheeme, zubaan se uske gird ghoomte hue. Adeel ka jism tan gaya, uski saansen tez ho gayin. “Hina… bas… main—”
“Nahi,” Hina ne use chhor kar kaha, muskurate hue. “Aaj raat lambi hai.”
Woh bistar par let gayi aur apni taangen phaila din. “Aao.”
Adeel uske upar aaya. Usne pehle uske ubhaaron ko apne haathon mein liya — dabaaya, sehlaya, unke nukon ko ungliyon se masla. Hina ne cheekh nikaali, uski kamar uth gayi. Phir Adeel neeche sarka, aur usne apna chehra uski raanon ke darmiyan rakh diya.
Hina ki saans ruk gayi. Adeel ne uski geeli, phuli hui jagah ko apni zubaan se chaata — lamba, gehra, be-rehem. Hina ne bistar ki chaadar noch li. “Adeel! Yeh kya kar rahe ho—” uski awaaz toot gayi, kyunki uske jism mein aag lag gayi thi. Adeel ne uske daane ko apne honton mein liya aur chusa, aur Hina cheekh uthi. Uske jism mein lehron par lehren uthne lagin, tez aur tez, jab tak woh ek zor daar inteha ko na pahunch gayi — uska jism kaanpta raha, aur uski aankhon se aansu nikal aaye, khushi ke.
“Ab tum,” Adeel ne kaha, aur uske andar dakhil ho gaya — is baar zor se, gehre tak.
Hina ne uska saath diya, apni kamar uthate hue. Dono ka jism ek ho gaya, paseena ek ho gaya, saansen ek ho gayin. Adeel ne use palta diya — ab Hina upar thi, uske upar sawaar. Usne apne haath uski chhaati par rakhe aur hilne lagi — dheeme pehle, phir tez, phir be-qabu. Uske ubhaar uchhalte rahe, uske baal bikhre rahe, aur uske chehre par woh khushi thi jo sirf azaadi mein milti hai.
“Main tumse mohabbat karti hoon,” usne haanpte hue kaha. “Suno? Main tumse mohabbat karti hoon!”
“Main bhi,” Adeel ne use kheench kar apne seene se lagaya, aur neeche se zor lagaya.
Dono ek saath inteha ko pahunche — Hina ne uska naam cheekh kar liya, aur Adeel ne uske baalon mein apna chehra chhupa kar. Uske baad woh dono ek doosre se lipte rahe, thake hue, khush, poore. Hina ne uski chhaati par sar rakha, uske dil ki dhadkan sunte hue.
“Darr gaya?” Adeel ne pucha.
Hina ne muskuraya. “Ab nahi. Ammi ki tasveer ne mujhe sikha diya — darr mein jeena, jeena nahi hota.”
Teesri subah baraf ruk gayi thi, aur sooraj nikla tha — baraf par uski kirnen heeron si chamak rahi thin. Gaari ka raasta saaf ho gaya tha. Nashta par Salman ne dono ko gaur se dekha, phir apni chaye ka cup neeche rakha.
“Mujhe tum dono se baat karni hai,” unhone kaha.
Hina ka dil zor se dhadka. Adeel ne uska haath mez ke neeche pakad liya.
“Main andha nahi hoon,” Salman ne kaha, unki awaaz naram thi. “Main ne dekha hai tum dono ko. Aag ke saamne, baraf mein, ek doosre ko dekhte hue. Aur main ne album mein tumhari ammi ki tasveer bhi dekhi — woh lafz jo usne likhe the.”
“Abbu, hum—” Hina ne kehna chaha.
“Ruko. Pehle meri suno.” Salman ne gehari saans li. “Jab tumhari ammi ne mujhe Daniyal ke baare mein bataya tha, to maine usse sirf ek baat kahi thi: ‘Tumne darr ki wajah se apni mohabbat khoyi. Main nahi chahta ke tum pachtao.’ Aur usne apni zindagi mein kabhi pachtawa nahi dikhaya — lekin main jaanta tha, woh dil mein ek zakhm liye gayi thi.”
Unhone Hina ki taraf dekha. “Meri bachi, tum meri jaan ho. Adeel mera beta hai. Tum dono khoon ke rishte se nahi, lekin dil ke rishte se mere bache ho. Aur agar tum dono ek doosre mein khushi paate ho — sachi khushi, izzat ke saath — to main kaun hota hoon rokne wala? Duniya kya kahegi, iska darr mujhe nahi hai. Mujhe sirf is baat ka darr hai ke tum dono ek doosre ka saath nibhao ge.”
Hina ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. “Abbu…”
Adeel ne Salman ke haath pakad liye. “Abbu, main wada karta hoon. Hina meri zindagi hai. Main use kabhi takleef nahi dunga.”
Salman ne dono ke sar par haath rakha. “To phir darr kis baat ka? Shaadi kar lo. Sahi tareeqe se, sab ke saamne. Tumhari ammi ki rooh ko sukoon milega.”
Us shaam, jab woh teeno porch par khade baraf ko dekh rahe the, to Hina ne Adeel ka haath pakda — khul kar, be-dharak. Lalten jal rahi thi, baraf gir rahi thi, aur pahaar khamosh gawah the.
Hina ne aasmaan ki taraf dekha aur dheemi awaaz mein kaha, “Ammi, dekho. Maine darr ko hara diya.”
Aur baraf ke zarron mein use laga jaise ammi muskurayi hon — wohi muskurahat jo purani tasveer mein thi, aakhri baraf wali.
Yeh dastaan yahin khatm nahi hoti — yeh to bas shuru hui thi. Kyunki mohabbat jab darr se bari ho jaye, to woh dastaan nahi rehti — yaad ban jaati hai, hamesha ke liye.