ANANT SHAKTI (Unlimited Power)

Episode 5: Shock pe Shock

​Heroine ne jab Hero ka haath pakda aur use ghar chhodne ki baat suni, toh use laga shayad sab kuch pehle jaisa ho jayega. Dono kamre se bahar nikle. Seedhiyon par utarte waqt Maanvi ki nazar baar-baar Hero ke us naye chehre aur uski body language par ja rahi thi.

​Woh purana Aryan toh kahin kho gaya tha. Yeh naya shakhs toh jaise hawa mein baatein kar raha tha.

​Jab woh dono neeche road par aaye, tabhi Aryan achanak ruk gaya. Usne aasman ki taraf dekha jahan Kolkata ki badi-badi buildings ki light chamak rahi thi. Usne Maanvi ki taraf rukh kiya aur bahut hi calm awaaz mein ek aisi baat kahi jisne poore mahol ko hila kar rakh diya.

​“Tum mujhe shehar ka sabse mehnga ghar dikha sakti ho?”

​Maanvi wahi thithak gayi. Use laga shayad usne galat suna hai. Usne apni aankhen sikoadi aur hairani se pucha, “Kyunn? Achanak ghar kyun dekhna hai?”

​Aryan ne apni jeb mein haath dala aur us 'Magical Card' ko mehsoos kiya. Uske chehre par ek aisi muskurahat thi jo Maanvi ne pehle kabhi nahi dekhi thi—ek aisi muskurahat jo sirf un logo ke paas hoti hai jinhe apni taqat ka pura ehsas hota hai.

​“Kharidna hai,” Aryan ne bas do shabd kahe.

​Ek pal ke liye wahan sannata (Silence) chha gaya. Itna gehra sannata ki paas se guzarti hui gaadiyon ka shor bhi jaise band ho gaya ho. Maanvi ko laga ki shayad kal ki be-izzati ne Aryan ke dimaag par asar kar diya hai. Itna mehnga suit, itni mehengi ghadi... aur ab shehar ka sabse mehnga ghar kharidne ki baat?

​Usne darr aur fikar ke maare apna haath aage badhaya aur Aryan ka forehead (matha) touch kiya.

​“Tum theek ho na?” usne dabe paon pucha. “Tumhe bukhar toh nahi? Ya phir kal ki wajah se tum... tum shayad hosh mein nahi ho. Itna bada mazaak mat karo, ye koi film nahi chal rahi hai.”

​Aryan ko uske sparsh (touch) se na toh gussa aaya aur na hi woh nervous hua. Usne Maanvi ka haath dheere se apne mathe se hataya. Usne dekha ki Maanvi ki aankhon mein uske liye sacha darr tha—woh darr jo shayad tab nahi tha jab use thappad lag rahe thay.

​Aryan zor se hasne laga. Uski hasi mein ab dard nahi, balki ek naya junoon tha.

​“Ab main bilkul theek hoon,” usne haste hue kaha. “Shayad zindagi mein pehli baar main sach mein theek hoon. Mujhe koi mazaak nahi karna. Kal tak main woh tha jise log thukrate thay, par aaj main woh hoon jo sab kuch kharid sakta hai.”

​Usne apna phone nikal kar ek luxury real estate portal khola aur Heroine ke saamne screen kar di.

​“Batao, sabse posh area kaunsa hai? Park Street? Ya Alipore? Jahan bhi shehar ka sabse bada penthouse hai, mujhe wahan le chalo. Aaj raat hi mujhe apna naya thikana chun-na hai.”

​Maanvi ki zubaan band ho chuki thi. Use samajh nahi aa raha tha ki ye wahi ladka hai jo kal tak ek-ek rupaye ke liye hisaab lagata tha. Aryan ka confidence dekh kar uski himmat nahi hui ki woh dobara sawaal kare.

​Usne bas itna kaha, “Theek hai... agar tum zidd kar rahe ho toh chalo. Par yaad rakhna, wahan security aur log bahut alag hote hain.”

​Aryan ne ek gehri saans li aur aage badhte hue bola, “Wahan ke log mere liye naye ho sakte hain, par main unke liye ek aisa shock hone wala hoon jo unhone kabhi nahi dekha hoga.”