Chapter 3: Samundar Ke Paar Andhera

Mahino baad.

England ke ek shaant shehar, Whitby, me hawa samundar se thand aur namkeen thi।

Mina Murray chattan ke kinare baithi,

apni diary me likh rahi thi।

“Jonathan ka khat nahi aaya.

Dil bechain rehta hai…

jaise koi anjaana saaya paas hi mandra raha ho.”

Uski saheli Lucy Westenra hamesha ki tarah hansmukh thi,

lekin aajkal uski hansi me thakaan thi।

“Raat ko ajeeb sapne aate hain,”

Lucy ne kaha,

“jaise koi mujhe bula raha ho…

samundar ki taraf.”

Usi raat,

samundar me toofan utha।

Logon ne dekha—

ek bina chaalak ke jahaz ko bandargha par aa takrate hue।

Uska naam likha tha:

Demeter.

Jab jahaz khola gaya,

andar sirf mitti se bhare sandook mile—

aur ek hi laash,

jo darr se jam chuki thi।

Shehar me khauf phail gaya।

Us raat ke baad se

Lucy badalne lagi।

Uski twacha peelepan liye hue thi,

aankhon ke neeche kaale ghere,

aur gardan par do chhote se nishaan।

Doctor pareshan the,

lekin samajh nahi pa rahe the।

Aur door,

London ke andhere kone me—

ek parchai pehli baar hansi।

Count Dracula England aa chuka tha।

Mahal se nikal kar,

wo ab sheharon me ghulega—

insaano ke beech,

insaani chehre ke saath।

Aur kahin door,

ek aspataal ke kamre me,

Jonathan Harker ne aankhen kholi—

zinda tha…

lekin uske dimaag me

Transylvania ka andhera ab bhi zinda tha।

Yudh shuru hone wala tha…

Lucy ki haalat har din bigadti ja rahi thi।

Khoon ki kami, thakaan,

aur raat ko bina yaad ke chalna—

doctoron ke liye ye sab bemaani tha।

Mina raat bhar uske paas baithi rehti,

har saans ginte hue।

Tab Dr. Seward ne

apne purane guru ko bulaaya—

Professor Abraham Van Helsing।

Wo buzurg the,

lekin unki aankhon me aisi chamak thi

jo andhere ko bhi cheerta mehsoos hoti thi।

Lucy ko dekhte hi

unke chehre ka rang badal gaya।

“Ye bimari nahi hai,”

Van Helsing ne dheere se kaha,

“ye shikar hai।”

Us raat

Lucy ke kamre ke darwaze par

lahsun ke phool latkaye gaye।

Khidkiyon par cross rakhe gaye,

aur Mina ko hidayat di gayi

ki Lucy ko akela na chhode।

Lekin andhera hamesha raasta dhoond leta hai।

Ek raat

Lucy ne khidki khol di।

Samundar ki hawa ke saath

ek safed dhund kamre me ghus aayi।

Subah

Lucy zinda thi…

lekin kuchh kho chuki thi।

Van Helsing chupchaap khada raha।

“Der ho chuki hai,”

usne kaha,

“ab use bachana nahi…

use rokna padega.”

Usi waqt

Mina ko ek khat mila।

Jonathan ka.

Kuchh shabd tedhe-medhe the,

lekin ek baat saaf thi—

“Wo aa raha hai.

Aur main jaanta hoon use kaise roka jaata hai.”

Mina ke haath kaanp gaye।

Ab ye sirf dosti ya pyaar ki baat nahi thi—

ye insani duniya ki raksha ka sawaal tha।

Aur raat ke andhere me,

Count Dracula ne

apna agla shikar chuna—

Mina.

Lucy ab pehle jaisi nahi rahi thi।

Din me wo shaant lagti,

lekin raat ko—

uski aankhen laal chamakne lagti,

aur chehra ajeebi muskaan se bhar jaata।

Ek raat

Mina ne use dekha—

chupchaap khidki ke paas khadi,

neeche sadak ki taraf jhukti hui।

“Lucy!”

Mina ne use jhakjhor kar roka।

Lucy ne mudkar dekha—

uski aankhon me pyaar nahi tha,

sirf bhookh thi।

Agle din

Van Helsing ne sabko bulaaya।

“Jo hum soch rahe the,

ab usse inkaar nahi,”

unhone gambhir awaaz me kaha।

“Lucy ab zinda nahi rahi…

wo badal chuki hai।”

Arthur,

jo Lucy se pyaar karta tha,

toot sa gaya।

“Usse bachaya ja sakta hai,”

usne bheegi aankhon se kaha।

Van Helsing ne sir jhuka liya।

“Sirf ek tareeka hai,”

unhone dheere se kaha,

“uski aatma ko azaadi dena.”

Us raat

kabristaan me hawa bhi chup thi।

Lucy safed kapdon me

apni kabar se nikli—

sundar,

lekin darawni।

Arthur ke haath kaanp rahe the

jab usne lakdi ka stake uthaya।

“Ye tumhare pyaar ka antim saboot hoga,”

Van Helsing ne kaha।

Ek pal ki hichkichahat…

phir ek cheek—

aur sab khatam.

Subah

Lucy ki laash shaant thi,

chehre par pehli baar sukoon tha।

Mina ro rahi thi—

sirf Lucy ke liye nahi,

apne liye bhi।

Kyuki us raat

usne apni gardan par

do naye nishaan mehsoos kiye the।

Door kahin,

Count Dracula ne apna glass uthaya

aur muskuraya।

“Yudh ab sach-me shuru hua hai,”

usne khud se kaha।

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