The Blood Between Us

Blackthorn City ki sadkon par baarish ho rahi thi. Unchi buildings ki roshni geeli sadkon par bikhar rahi thi. Log apne gharon ki taraf bhaag rahe the, taxis horn baja rahi thi aur sheher apni raftaar se chal raha tha. Lekin is sheher ki ek aisi duniya bhi thi jiske baare mein insaanon ko kuch nahi pata tha. Ek aisi duniya jahan kuch log zinda toh the, lekin insaan nahi the. Woh khoon peete the. Aur andhere mein shikaar karte the. Unhi mein se ek tha Adrian Voss vho pehle apne shikaar ko andhere mein mehsoos karta hai. Phir bina kisi aahat ke uske peeche pahunch jaata hai. Uski raftaar itni tez hai ki saamne wala palatkar dekhe, usse pehle Adrian uska raasta rok chuka hota hai. Uski awaaz dheemi hoti hai, lekin uske alfaaz mein maut jaisi thandak hoti hai. “Run, if you wish. I want you to understand how hopeless it is.” “Bhaag lo, agar chaahte ho. Main chahta hoon ki tum samjho, tumhare bachne ki koi umeed nahi hai.” Agar uski bhookh us par haavi ho jaaye, toh woh apne shikaar ko pakadkar uski gardan par apne nukile daant gaad deta hai. Khoon ka swaad uske andar ke darinde ko aur jaga deta hai. Uski pakad lohe jaisi mazboot hoti hai, aur uski laal aankhon mein insaani reham ka naam-o-nishaan nahi rehta.