Us bache ki thandi baahon ko dekh kar Neha ka dimaag sunn ho gaya tha. Hospital ki corridor ki lights use dhundli lagne lagi aur wo peeche mud kar seedhe washroom ki taraf bhagi. Usne zor se nal (tap) khola aur apne khoon se sane haath dhone lagi, par wo laal rang jaise uski rooh tak utar gaya tha.
Achanak, wo flashback mein chali gayi...
15 saal pehle ka wahi manzar. Ek chota sa gaon, mitti ki khushbu aur barish ki awaaz. Neha tab sirf 8 saal ki thi. Uska chota bhai, Golu, tez bukhar mein tadap raha tha. Gaon mein koi bada hospital nahi tha aur shehar jane wali sadak baarish ki wajah se band thi.
Neha ne apne bhai ka haath thama tha, bilkul waise hi jaise aaj us bache ka thama tha.
"Didi, bohot dard ho raha hai," Golu ne sisakte hue kaha tha.
"Kuch nahi hoga Golu, main hoon na," Neha ne masoomiyat se wada kiya tha.
Par us raat Golu ne dam tod diya. Neha ne dekha tha apne baap ko bebasi mein chillate hue aur apni maa ko pathar bante hue. Usi din us masoom ladki ne khud se ek wada kiya tha—Main badi hokar doctor banungi aur kisi behen ka bhai nahi marne doongi.
Aaj, 15 saal baad, wo doctor toh ban gayi thi, par wada toot gaya tha.
Wahi purani cheekh aaj phir uske kaano mein goonj rahi thi. Use laga jaise wo aaj bhi wahi 8 saal ki haari hui ladki hai. Wo washroom ke farsh par baith gayi aur apne ghutno mein sar chhupa kar rone lagi. Safed coat par lage khoon ke nishan use chidha rahe the.
"Golu... main aaj bhi nahi bacha paayi," usne sisakte hue kaha.
Uski masoomiyat ka ek aur hissa aaj us hospital ke OT mein dum tod chuka tha. Ab Neha ke samne sirf andhera tha, aur wahi purani yaadein jo use chain se jeene nahi de rahi thi.
Kya hua tha neha ke past me.....