Phir ek din
Maahi ke mobile screen par ek anjaani si call chamki.
Naam tha—
Mustaqeem.
Maahi ka dil be-ikhtiyar tez dhadakne laga.
Uski ungli kuch lamhon tak screen par thami rahi.
Sach to ye tha ke Maahi larkon se baat karne me
kabhi comfortable nahi rahi thi.
Use na sirf hichkichahat thi
balke kahin na kahin
ek anjaana sa darr bhi.
Uski duniya kitaabon، ghar
aur apni family tak mehdood thi.
Be-wajah baat karna
uski fitrat ka hissa hi nahi tha.
Kuch dair sochne ke baad
usne himmat jamaa ki
aur call receive kar li.
"Hello…"
awaaz itni halki thi
jaise kisi ne hawa me lafz chhor diya ho.
Dusri taraf se jo awaaz aayi
wo bilkul mukhtalif thi—
pur-aitmaad، be-baak
aur zara si sharaarat liye hue.
"Assalam-o-Alaikum meri jaan."
Ye sunte hi
Maahi jaise apni jagah jam si gayi.
Uske haath thore se kaanp gaye،
dil zor se dhadka
aur chehra sharam se surkh ho gaya.
"M… meri jaan…?"
usne dil hi dil me khud se kaha.
Wo kuch bol hi na paayi.
Kuch seconds ki khamoshi ke baad
bohat dheemi awaaz me boli:
"Wa-Alaikum-Assalam…"
Aur phir
jaldi jaldi khair-khair keh kar
call disconnect kar di.
Us raat
Maahi bohat dair tak sochti rahi.
Wo alfaaz،
wo lehja
aur wo pehli be-takalluf si baat۔
Usne Quran band ki
aur khidki se baahar dekha—
chaand poora tha،
bilkul waise hi
jaise uske dil me
koi naya ehsaas poora ho raha ho.