Flicker’s Lie P-2

Agli subah, Tamanna ki aankh khulti hai, aur uska dimaag bilkul khali sa lagta hai—na chamak ki yaad, na alien ka koi khayal. Woh bistar par leti apni aankhein malti hai, aur tabhi uski nazar Popcorn par padti hai. Popcorn—ek uske bagal mein baitha tha, apni badi-badi aankhon se Tamanna ko pyaar bhari nazar se dekh raha tha. Tamanna muskura padti hai aur usko apni god mein utha leti hai. "Popcorn, tu kitna pyaara hai!"

Tu Kitna Piyara Hai.

Popcorn—jo asal mein ek alien tha—Tamanna ke emotions ko mehsoos kar raha tha. Pehli baar usne kisi insaan ke dil ka ehsaas kiya tha, bina apni shaktiyon ke. Uske andar kuch naya ubhar raha tha—jazbaat jo usne pehle kabhi na samjhe the. Woh soch mein pad gaya, "Ye kaisa connection hai? Ye insaan itne ajeeb kyun hote hain?"

Thodi der baad, Tamanna Popcorn ko lekar bahar nikalti hai. "Chal, Popcorn, market chalte hain. Tere liye kuch tasty khana laate hain, aur mere liye bhi kuch snacks!" Popcorn uski god mein baitha, apni aankhon se market ko scan kar raha tha—earth ki research ke liye. Uske alien dimaag mein har cheez ek data point thi: "Ye log itna chil-chil kyun karte hain? Ye 'bargaining' kya hota hai? Aur ye gajar kyun itni sasti hai?"

Market mein ek dukaan par Tamanna ruki aur ek sabzi wale se boli, "Bhaiya, ye gajar kitne ki hai?" Sabzi wala bola, "50 rupaye kilo." Tamanna hans padi, "50? Bhaiya, gajar hai ya sona? 30 mein do na!" Popcorn ye sab dekh raha tha aur soch raha tha, "Ye ladki har cheez pe ladti kyun hai? Kya is planet par sab aise hi survive karte hain?"

har cheez pe ladti kyun hai?

Ek buddha uncle, jo bagal mein khada tha, bola, "Arre beti, gajar toh 20 mein bhi mil jayegi, par isko bolna mat, warna ye mujhe gali dega!" Sabzi wala gusse mein bola, "Uncle ji, aap apna kaam kijiye na, meri dukaan pe kyun commentary kar rahe ho?" Tamanna zor se has padi, aur Popcorn bhi apne chhote se muh se ek ajeeb si awaaz nikali, jaise woh bhi has raha ho. Tamanna ne usko dekha aur boli, "Popcorn, tu bhi meri team mein hai na? Chal, gajar 30 mein hi lete hain!"

Wapas lautte waqt, Popcorn ke sar par chamakta hua stone chaar badmashon ki nazar mein aa gaya. Unhone usko diamond samajh liya aur Tamanna ka peecha karna shuru kar diya. Tamanna ko is baat ka bilkul andaza nahi tha. Woh apne ghar ki taraf chali ja rahi thi, aur Popcorn uski god mein baitha,"

 Shant Jagah par, Achanak, chaar badmash Tamanna ke aas-paas ghera daal dete hain. Tamanna ghabra jati hai aur apni speed badhane ki koshish karti hai, par badmash bhi tez chalte hain.—Tamanna apne aap ko ghera hua dekh kar ruk jati hai aur bolti hai, "Kya chahiye tum logon ko?"

Badmashon ka leader, bola, "Humein is rabbit ke sar pe jo diamond hai, woh chahiye. Bas itna, aur hum tujhe jaane denge." Tamanna hairan ho jati hai aur Popcorn ko dekhti hai. "Diamond? Tum pagal ho gaye ho kya? Ye toh bas ek chamkta hua stone hai, iske sar se nahi hat-ta!"

Diamond

Leader hans pada, "Toh hum iska sar kaat ke nikaal lenge. Bohot chamakta hai, kaafi paisa dega ye diamond!" Doosra badmash, jo thoda mota tha aur zor-zor se saans le raha tha, bola, "Haan, isse bech ke hum log ko  Bohot Paisa Milega!" Tamanna ko gussa bhi aaya aur dar bhi laga. Woh Popcorn ko apne gale se laga leti hai aur darr ke maare thodi-thodi peeche hatne lagti hai. Uska dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha—woh soch rahi thi, "Ye log Popcorn ko maar na daale!"

Badmash aage badhte hain. Leader Popcorn ke haath pakad leta hai aur usko kheenchne ki koshish karta hai. Tamanna zor se chillati hai, "Chhodo usko!" Woh Popcorn ko nahi chhodti, apni puri taqat se usko pakde rakhti hai. "Humein chhod do, ye bas ek chamakta hua stone hai, aur kuch nahi!"

Popcorn ke andar gussa bhadak raha tha. Woh alien tha, uske paas shaktiyaan thi, par woh nahi chahta tha ki Tamanna ko uska asli roop pata na chale. Par jab badmashon ne ek blade nikali aur Tamanna ki hatheli par chhota sa cheera laga diya, Tamanna zor se cheekh padi. Uska khoon zameen par tapakne laga, aur Popcorn ka sabr toot gaya.

Popcorn ne apni alien taqat ka istemaal kiya. Usne ek zor ka psychic blast chhoda, aur leader bohut door jaake ek kachre ke dher mein gir pada. "Oye, ye kya tha?!" doosra badmash chillaya, par tab tak Popcorn ne usko hypnotize kar diya. Jis badmash ne Tamanna ka haath kaata tha, usne blade apne gale par rakh di aur khud ka gala kaat liya. Baaki teen badmash darr ke wahan se bhaag gaye, "Ham isko Jinda Nahi Chhorenge!" chillate hue.

Tamanna ko kuch samajh nahi aaya. Woh darr ke maare Popcorn ko lekar ghar ki taraf bhaag padi, usko apne gale se lagaye hue. Ghar pahunchte hi woh tez-tez rone lagi, usne jo bhi najara dekha wo kiu or kaise hua usko abhi tak kuch samjh nahi aaya.

Dada ji Woh Tamanna ke haath dekh kar ghabra jate hain aur turant patti laate hain. "Kya hua tha, beti?" unhone pucha. Tamanna baat chhupate hue boli, "Dada ji, main bazaar gayi thi, wahan gir gayi thi." Dada ji uske haath par patti bandhte hue bole, "Meri pyari bacchi, kaash tumhara khayal rakhne ke liye tumhare mummy-papa yahan hote." Unki aankhon mein halke aansoon aa gaye.

Tamanna ne muskurate hue kaha, "Aapke hote hue mujhe kabhi unki kami mehsoos nahi hui." Phir Popcorn ki taraf dekha aur boli, "Ab toh mera dost bhi hai mere paas." Popcorn ye sab sun raha tha, aur uska alien dil samajh raha tha ki insaan kitne gehre jazbaat rakhte hain. Uske man mein ek khayal aaya, "Jab yahan se jaunga, Tamanna ko woh saari khushiyan deke jaunga jiski usko zarurat hai."

Dada ji usko aaram karne ke liye chhod dete hain aur apne kaam mein lag jate hain. Tamanna bistar par leti hai, Popcorn uske bagal mein baitha hai. Woh usko dekhti hai aur sochti hai, "Ye chhota sa dost meri zindagi ka hissa kaise ban gaya?"

See Part -01 | Voomcomix