Chapter 27

 

                              ***************CHAPTER-4***************

 

 

EPISODE-27

 

Crossing the No man's Land wasn't a difficult task. Without encountering any problem, Rajveer andNaina crossed the border. Stepping on an alien land and that too illegally was getting on Naina's nerves. But she had to remain calm. She was holding Rajveer's hand throughout. Though the path appeared to be out of harm's way, Rajveer took all the necessary precautions to make sure they are not seen. They were heading in the direction as instructed by Alekh. After walking for almost 3 kilometres, as told by Alekh, they could see an inhabited area at a little distance. A man was standing there at a few metres distance from the boundary of the village. They both went to him.

 

"Aap dono ko Alekh Bhai ne bheja hai?" He asked.

"Haan." Saying this Rajveer showed him their passports.

"Mera naam Abdul hai. Aap dono aaeye mere saath."

He asked them to make no sound on the way. He told them that the place was called Kasur. He took him to a small house that lied almost in the centre of the village and it took them around 30 minutes to reach there. He led them inside to a small room where there was no source of ventilation except for a small ventilator.The room was absolutely dark. He brought them a lantern.

"Aap dono ko kal raat tak yahin rehna hai.Kal raat hum log Raiwind ke liye nikalenge. Tab tak aap log yahan se bahar nahin nikalenge.Aap log aaram kijiye.Aage ka safar lamba bhi hai aur mushkil bhi.Waise aap logon ko kuch chahiye to bata dijiyega."

"Jee...Thank you so much." Rajveer said.

"Waise madam yahan pe yeh kapde nahin chalenge."The man left leaving them alone.

Naina looked at Rajveer for an explanation for what she was just now told.

"Tum is waqt ek metro city mein nahin ek village mein ho.....that too across the border."

"Okay."

 

Naina surveyed the room.There wasn't even a single furnituire except for a table in the room..... Not even a bed.Only a mattress was lying on the floor.

"Kya hua? Yeh to sirf shuruat hai..."

"I know Raj... batane ki zaroorat nahin hai ki hum yahan apne hide-out mein hain and not in a five-star hotel. It's cool."

"Good. Samajhdaar ho gayi ho." Rajveer said throwing his bag in a corner. He sat on the mattress and looked up at Naina who was staring at him.

"Acha baba...mazak kar raha tha.Come sit."

Naina sat next to him.

"Kal tak hum yahan kya karenge?"

"Din beetne ka intezaar."

"Intezaar.....aur kar kya rahe hain hum log itne waqt se." She said in a gloomy tone. She rested her head on Rajveer's shoulder. Within a few minutes she dozed off. Her head was still resting on his shoulder and she was holding his arms tightly.

Rajveer looked at her. He was still not able to decide whether his decision to let her come along was right or not. But it was too late to ponder over it. All he could do was to hope and, as much as possible, make sure that she returns safely.

 

********************

 

The following night, around midnight, the three of them set out for Raiwind. The village was connected to a small town near Raiwind by bus. They reached there early in the morning and hired a cab for Raiwind. It was almost a two hour drive and they reached the city. He took them in an isolated area of the town. There were hardly 10 old buildings in that area that have either collapsed or were on the verge of collapsing. He took them inside one such collapsed building. He guided them through the debris to an underground basement. The basement looked like a new construction and was well maintained. Naina felt like entering into an all new world where ways suddenly emerged out of nowhere. Abdul took them to a small room right next to a huge hall in the basement. Out of the blue, Naina found herself standing outside another room which, until a moment back, was not even visible. She was completely enchanted. They entered inside the room that was filled with arms and ammunitions.

 

"You may take whatever you need."

Abdul showed him the entire collection. It was huge with weapons of all sizes. Rajveer inspected it very carefully and took two guns with him and lots of bullets along with half a dozen grenades. He put them in his bag and they came out of the place.

 

"Iske aage ka safar aapko akele hi poora karna hoga. Yahan se Wazirabad ke liye aap train se jaa sakte hain."

"Kitna waqt lagega yahaan se Wazirabad pahunchne ke liye."

"Poori raat ka safar hai. Main aap logon ko station pahuncha deta hoon."

"Uski zaroorat nahin padegi. Hum chale jaayenge."

"Jaanta hoon saab lekin kya fark padta hai. Meri hadh yahin tak hai....iske aage raasta bhi aapka aur manzil bhi aapki. Jahan tak saath de sakta hoon dene dijiye."

"Come on Raj. It's Okay."

"Alright then. Let's go."

 

He escorted them to the station and helped them get the tickets. Train had 4 hours to arrive. They took some snacks and waited in the waiting room. There Abdul took out a piece of paper and gave it to Raj.

"Yeh kya hai."

"Map....aage ka safar poora karne mein aasani hogi aap logon ko."

"Aapne hamari bahut madad ki hai. Thank you so much."

"Ismein thank you ki kya baat hai yeh to hamara kam hai. Bas umeed karta hoon ki bahut jald aapse dubara mulaqat hogi.....aapke bichde hue saathi k saath."

"Umeed to humein bhi yahi hai."

Just then the arrival of the train was announced.

"Chaliye aap logon ki train bhi aa gayi. Main Alekh bhai ko aapke hifaazat se yahan se rawaana hone ki khabar pahuncha doonga. Aap dono apna khayal rakhiyega." He wished them luck and left.

 

Rajveer and Naina boarded the train and started the journey where there was no one to guide them and there was no help.It was only them for each other.