Chapter 2: Andhere ki Teen Parchhaiyan

Raat ka sannata achanak toot gaya।

Jonathan apne kamre me tha,

jab usne phir se wahi awaaz suni—

halki hansi… dheemi saans… aur kisi ke chalne ki aahat।

Is baar darwaza band nahi tha।

Wo awaaz use bula rahi thi—

jaise sapne aur jaagti duniya ke beech kahin se।

Jonathan ne diya uthaya

aur dheere-dheere corridor me badha।

Andhera gehra hota ja raha tha,

aur phir—

usne unhe dekha।

Teen auratein.

Unki aankhen chamak rahi thi,

baal kaale badalon jaise the,

aur chehre par aisi sundarta

jo dar aur aakarshan dono paida karti thi।

Ek aurat aage badhi,

uski awaaz shahad jaisi meethi thi—

“Tum bahut thake hue ho, Jonathan…

aao, hum tumhe aaraam denge.”

Jonathan ka dil zor se dhadak raha tha,

lekin uska sharir jaise uska saath nahi de raha tha।

Wo aurat aur paas aayi—

uski thandi saans Jonathan ki gardan ko chhoo gayi।

Usne aankhen band kar li—

TABHI!

Ek bhayanak garaj ke saath

Dracula wahan aa khada hua।

“Peechhe hat jao!”

uski awaaz me bijli thi।

Teenon auratein gusse se sisein,

lekin peeche hat gayin।

“Ye aadmi mera hai,”

Dracula ne kaha,

“jab tak main na chahoon,

isko koi haath nahi lagayega.”

Jonathan ne Dracula ki taraf dekha—

uski aankhon me gussa tha…

lekin saath hi kuch aur bhi—

jaise jalan.

Dracula ne Jonathan ko pakad kar

wapas kamre me dhakel diya।

“Tum yahan mehmaan nahi ho,”

usne dheere par bhari awaaz me kaha,

“tum meri zarurat ho.”

Darwaza band ho gaya।

Jonathan ka dil baith gaya।

Us raat usne apni diary me likha:

“Main yahan zinda hoon,

lekin azaad nahi.

Aur jo mujhe yahan kaid kiye hue hai…

wo insaan nahi hai.”

Mahal ki deewaron ke paar

bhookhi hawayein chal rahi thi—

aur Count Dracula

andhere me muskuraya।

Shikaar tayaar ho raha tha…

Subah hui—

ya shayad hui hi nahi।

Mahal me roshni ka koi niyam nahi tha।

Jonathan jab jaga, to ghadi ki suiyan jaise jam chuki thi।

Usne khidki kholni chahi—

lekin bahar sirf seedhi girti chattan aur gahra andhera tha।

Neeche dekhte hi use chakkar aa gaya।

Tabhi usne mehsoos kiya—

kamre ka darwaza band nahi tha।

Dil zor se dhadakne laga।

Jonathan dheere-dheere corridor me nikla।

Is baar dar ne use roka nahi—

dar ke upar kuch aur jeet raha tha: jeene ki zid।

Use yaad aaya—

Dracula din me kamzor hota hai।

Mahal ke beech wale hisse me

ek purani seedhi thi jo neeche ja rahi thi—

pathar ghise hue the,

jaise sadiyon se kisi ne bhaagne ki koshish ki ho।

Neeche pahunchkar

Jonathan ko ek kamra mila—

bhari mitti ki gandh se bhara hua।

Wahan usne dekha—

lakdi ke kai sandook (coffins)

jinme mitti bhari thi।

Aur unme se ek me—

Count Dracula so raha tha।

Chehra shaant tha,

jaise koi nirdosh insaan ho।

Agar Jonathan use aise hi dekhta,

to kabhi vishwas na karta

ki ye wahi shaitaan hai jo raat ko jeevan choos leta hai।

Uske haath kaanp rahe the।

Paas hi ek purana lohe ka danda pada tha।

Ek pal ke liye usne socha—

sab khatam kar doon.

Lekin tabhi uske dimag me awaaz ghoonji—

“Khoon se azaadi nahi milti.”

Us pal ki der ne sab badal diya।

Achaanak hawa tez chalne lagi—

jaise mahal saans le raha ho।

Dracula ki aankhen khul gayin।

“Bahut der kar di, Jonathan,”

usne dheemi par bhayanak awaaz me kaha।

Jonathan peeche hataa,

lekin tabhi deewaron se awaaz aayi—

jaise mahal khud use pakad raha ho।

Dracula khada hua—

uski parchai Jonathan se bhi badi lag rahi thi।

“Tumne bhaagne ki koshish ki,”

wo muskuraya,

“ab tum sirf mehmaan nahi rahe…”

Usne Jonathan ki gardan pakdi—

lekin maara nahi।

“Tum ab bhi kaam aoge,”

usne kaha,

“London mujhe bula raha hai…”

Jonathan samajh gaya—

ye kahani sirf Transylvania tak simit nahi rahegi।

Andhera safar par nikalne wala tha…

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