chapter---8
gaurav and heer stood in front of each other,gaurav bewildered and unable to speak and heer,a bit uneasy and anxious too...
she was the frst one to speak---hum yahan apna badla pura karne ke liye aye hain.. hume jana hoga...
gaurav opened his mouth to speak bt heer did nt let him do so....
heer---hume rokiye mat....apne hamari madat ki... thank...thank u.... par aab hume apni manzil khud dhundna padega....
gaurav---par aap kaise...aapko mere kuch sawal ka jawab dena padega....main kaise man lu ki aap..i mean its impossible...!!! aap ateet se istarah... r u mad? or am i dreaming?kya main sapna dekh raha hu?
heer--ye aapki samasya hain...hume koi fark nhi padta ki aap hamare bare mein kya sochte hain... humne aapse sach kaha hain.. aab aap humpar yakeen karte hain ya nhi... wo to aapka faisla hoga hain na? isse hume koi lena denqa nhi hain.. hum chalte hain..... she turned away and was abt to leave wen gaurav caught her hand agen---nhi...ruko...i mean rukiye.....
heer's face became red in anger---hamara hath chodiye....abhi isiwaqt....
gaurav felt embarressed and released her hand... he said---plzz aap mujhe bataiye aisa kaise ho sakta hain? aap.. aap...kaise...? o god.....!!
he clutched his head with both of his hands and muttered to himself---kahin main pagal to nhi ho raha hu....!!! o god..!!!! O GOD....!!
he left his head and looked at her carefully...vry carefully.... yes...she resembled the princess vry vry much.... except those jewelleries and those royal accessories.... the princess wud have looked just lik this girl,heer....
a shuddering chill ran down his spine to think abt it.... " This is rajkumari Heera... whu was supposed to be dead in the pages of history... bt she is ACTUALLY nt dead.... she has travelled through time into the future and has entered his present....."
gaurav's lips murmered her name like any sacred charm---Heera...Heera....!!
heer looked up.... she felt lil anxious to see the glowing passion in his eyes.... he stared at her as if she was the 8th wonder of the world.....
heer---aap.. tum...istarh kyun dekh rahe ho?
gaurav--- kyunki main ek normal insaan hu isiliye....
heer---kya?
gaurav---aap...aap..plzz hume bataiye ye sab kaise hua... plzz... warna main aapko yahan se jaane nhi dunga...
he was determined.. his eyes said it... heer sighed..-- thk hain main bataungi...par abhi nhi.... abhi hume jana hi hoga... main aapse milungi... kal sham ko.... us purane mandir mein......tab bataungi.....
gaurav---main kaise man lu ki kal aap waha ayengi? agr aapne apna waada nhi nibhaye to?
heer---hum apne mare hue babusa ki kasam khakar kehte hain...ki kal hum wahan aapse zaroor milenge..... she turned and walked away...... gaurav did nt stop her... he knew there was no point.... bt he also knew this..... SHE WUD RETURN.....FOR SURE.....
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''..
The whole day gaurav spent endless hours in thinking abt heer.. he just cud nt believe it' he walked up and down his room,impatient ' waiting for the day to end' evry passing minute seemed lik an hour' he thot abt how,while gazing at heera's painting,he had wished that she wud come to life just for once' so that he cud praise her beauty,cud touch her just for once' and now'his wish seemed to have come true'. Not only did he saw her in frnt of his vry eyes.. he had touched her,felt her in his arms'felt her moist breath near his neck'. Wasn't that enough to turn him mad? And that's wat was happening to him'.
Heer'--he murmered her name---heer..heer' kahan ho tum.. kab aogi'?
Gaurav starved that day.. wen the caretaker asked him abt dinner,he said no agen' the caretaker was a bit surprised bt his duty was just to ask him and nt compel him to have his meal.. so he retired after wishing him gud night'. He did nt evn sleep well that night'.
The next day too was a long one,perhaps longer as in the evening he was supposed to meet heer.. gaurav kept on thinking'--will she come? Or has she gone frm my life yesterday itself just like a dream'just as she had come' without any notice'. Was she a dream? Can it be possible that I was imagining thngs? Heer' plzz come.. plz plz plz come'.. I need to talk to you' or else' or else' I will go mad' I cnt help it' plzz come''.!!!
Not being able to stay calm,he went out into the garden.. it was 4 in the afternoon,2 more hours for the sun to set' he walked impatiently towards the old,ruined temple.. heer had promised him that she wud meet him there' gaurav started ascending the stairs'. He reached the main part of the temple where the idol was kept in the past'. At the present.. it was empty'. He sat down on the ground' leaning on the wall behind and closed his eyes'
He didn't know for how long he had been there,dozing ' wen he woke up,it was dark' the beatles and crickets had started to make disturbing noises'. And an owl hooted somewhere nearby'. He got up quickly,frightened' he had nt assumed that he wud fall asleep there' bt he was so tired that he cud nt help it' he shuddered while thinking that there cud have been snakes or scorpions or any other harmful insects'. He dusted his trousers and checked the time'. It was eight in the evening'.. and SHE had nt come yet'.. something inside his heart died instantly'he realized that it was the hope'burning inside him for two long days'. He sighed and said to himself---to tum nhi ayi'. Tumne apna waada tod diya' tum job hi ho.. tume ekbar to ana chahiye tha'..bas ek bar'.?
He held back his tears of disappointment and turned.. ready to walk away.. he had just taken few steps in frnt wen suddenly he heard something move behind him'the noise of something on the dry leaves' he turned and saw her'..yes'. it was heer'. She had come''
She stood there behind him'her face covered with a white dupatta..revealing only her beautiful eyes'
Gaurav cudnt hide his feelings of mass delight'. His eyes shone with tears at once as he spoke out her name---Heer..!!!???
He walked towards her in quick steps and without giving her a single chance to speak'threw his arms around her'pulling her towards himself'.---heer'!!! Tum aa gayi'??? I cnt believe this'.i cnt believe this at all'. Mujhe laga tha ki tum nhi aogi' main bata nhi sakta ki main kitna khush hu' ki tumne apna waada nivaya' oh' god.. am so happy'.!!!
She pushed him away'her eyes full of disgust----ye kya kar rahe hain aap?
Gaurav realized his mistake in a second and became totally alarmed' he held down his head in shame'
Heer'hum yahan aye hain kyunki humne kabhi apna waada toda ni hain'.
Gaurav'hum maf kar dijiye'hume laga tha ki aap nhi ayengi'.isiliye'.
Heer controlled her anger and breathed hard'.---thk hain.. to bataiye..aapko kya janna hain'.hum yahan zyaada der tak nhi ruk sakte'.
Gaurav looked up at her and said---aap plzz hume ye bata dijiye ki aap yahan kaise aye?
Heer---ye hume khud malum nhi hain'.bas itna yaad hain'.ki wo aag bht bhayanak tha.. jo humne headquarters mein lagaye the'. Hum khud fas gaye the us aag mein.. aur wo bhi'.
Flashback:---
Heera realized that she wud nt be able to escape frm this fire.. her end was near' she closed her eyes and thot whether she had any more reason to live for' her father was dead' her kingdom was taken leaving almost no chance of getting it back.. if she lived.. she wud have to count her days in prison or else she wud be hanged'. she opened her eyes' and smiled' she was determined' before dying she wud complete her only task in this life.. she wud avenge her father's death' she took out her sword and walked towards the general's room,where he was supposed to be trapped in'. the fire continued to increase'.. blocking her way sometimes.. bt she was nt to be put off'. She made her way frm within the glowing fire'.neglecting any type of wound on her body'..and reached the general's office' she pushed open the alredy weakened door'.. there he was.. crouched in a corner,coughing piteously'.
He saw her'.standing on the doorway,eyes burning in rage'.looking like a demon goddess,beautiful as well as fearsome'.
He stood up,trembling.. he knew that she had come to take her revenge'. He knew that death was near.. either he had to die in the hands of the princess or had to be sacrificed in the fire'. Bt he was so proud,even in that moment of death.. that he decided the fire to be a better option'. He kicked open the back door of his office and ran out'. Heera was nt prepared for this' she took his trail at once' Making her way frm within the greedy tongues of fire' reaching out to wrap them up'. The chase was difficult,with heera's strength decreasing evry second' forcing her to stop.. bt her will power helped her in keeping up with that wicked general'. Suddenly she saw him stop a lil distance away frm her'. It seemed as if he had seen something wich attracted his attention evn in such a moment'. She tiptoed towards him'and as she almost reached him'.she cudnt help bt follow his gaze'. And then she saw it'. Something wich she had nvr seen before'.. something extraordinary'. Unexplainable'. Astonishing'
A lil way in frnt of them stood a huge whirlpool of fire'. Yes' the fire was going round and round'.around a certain axis'. There was no wind'. And the heat was so internse in that particular area that heera felt that she was being burnt alive'. She shrieked out in pain' making the general turn.. she threw her sword at him'intending to chop his head off.. bt he was just in time to move away'. The sword missed him'. And heera fell down' the general looked away frm her and without wasting another single moment'he plunged in to that extraordinary whirlpool of fire'. Heera watched him in horror'. As soon as he touched it'..he vanished'. Heera cudnt believe her eyes'.. the man was nowhere'. It seemed as if the fire absorbed him'.. gulped him down'.. she got up slowly'groaning in intolerable pain'.. and strangled towards the fire'. Everything danced before her eyes.. and became dimmer as she proceeded' the whirlpool of fire slowly started to die'.its strength started to decrease' evn the heat started to lessen.. heera felt a sudden urge inside her'. She cudnt digest the fact that the general escaped'.escaped frm her hands.. escaped frm death'. She needed to go where he had gone.. she cudnt let this happen'.. she closed her eyes and prayed for the last time' then she plunged in to that whirlpool of fire too'..
Heer stopped and breathed heavily'.. she was sweating all over agen to think of that moment'.
Wen gaurav spoke,his voice was almost an excited whisper---time gate? U went thru a time gate?
Heer looked at him,unable to understand was he was saying' gaurav understood that' he did nt know how to put it up to her bt he tried his best--- tumne samay ka darwaza par kar liya hain'jo tumhe atit se bhavishya leke aa gaya hain.. log kehte hain' ye samay ka darwaza tabhi khulta hain jab bht sare energy,shakti payda hota hain.. kahin bhi'. Bht sara roshni..ya fir kuch aur'. Tumne aisa hi ek samay ka darwaza par kar liya hain'aab tumhara wapas jana'shayad namumkin hi hain'
Heer---hume koi fark nhi padta' hume koi fark nhi padta ki hum wapas jaa sakenge ya nhi.. hume bas us darinde ko dhundna hain' jisne hamare pitaji ki hatya ki hain' hume use apna badla pura karna hain'.
Gaurav---heer'heera'tum'suno.. meri baat dhyan se' tum bhavishya mein ayi ho'2011 mein' par tum ye kaise keh sakti ho ki who bhi yahan aya hain? Isi waqt mein? Wo kahin aur bhi to jaa sakta hain? kisi aur waqt mein?
Heer's eyes became wide is disbelief---aisa nhi ho sakta'!!!
Gaurav'aisa ho sakta hain.. wo kisi aur waqt mein jaa sakta hain'ya fir aisa bhi ho sakta hain ki woh atit mein chala gaya ho'. Ye kudrat ka ek karishma hain' ise koi niyam mein dala nhi jaa sakta' tum yahan use kahan dhundogi? Aur kaha tak dhundti firogi?
Heer- jabtak who hume nhi milta hum use dhundte rahenge'.
Gaurav---bewokufo jaisi baat mat karo'. Tum bhagwan ka shukar karo ki tumhe ek nayi zindagi mili hain' shayad kisi aur waqt mein.. lekin tumhe ek naya mauka mila hain jeene ke liye' use istarah gawao mat'. Bhul jao sabkuch' firse jeena suru kar do heer'.
Nhi bhul sakte hum..!!'heer shouted out---hum nhi bhul sakte use' hamare pitaji ko? Hum nhi jeena chahte' nhi chahte hain ye zindagi' bas hume badla chahiye'. Hume uska khun chahiye'. She took out a knife which she had kept hidden in her clothes and before gaurav cud stop her,she scratched her palm with it'. Blood oozed out of the cut' gaurav was too shocked to speak..let alone to move'
Heer---hum kasam khate hain apne khun ka'.jo zindagi hume mili hain'usmein hum apna badla zaroor puri karenge' aur agar nhi kar sake' to hum usi aag mein apne aap ko nasht kar denge'. Jis aag se bhagwan ne hume bachaya hain'..
Gaurav ran to her and took her bleeding hand in his'. He took out his handkerchief and was about to wrap her palm bt she withdrew her hand..---nhi' hume tumhari koi madat nhi chahiye'.
Gaurav---tum akeli kuch nhi kar sakogi'
Heer'hume itna kamzor mat samjho'.
Gaurav---main tumhe kamzor nhi samajh raha hu.. tum meri baat samajh kyun nhi rahi ho? Tum aise istarah kuch nhi kar sakti' har kam ka ek tarika hota hain' pehle to tum istarah duniye se muh chupakar nhi reh paogi' tumhe duniya ka samna karna padega.. logo se baat bhi karni padegi' chahe woh tumhe kitna bhi ajeeb samjhe' tumhe is waqt ke logo se mil jul kar rehna padega' abhi tumhare liye yehi sabse bara kam hain' use dhund ne mein main tumhara madat karna chahta hu'. Heer main tumahara saath dena chahta hu'..
Heer looked into his eyes,they were honest'.and full of confidence' she asked him---par tum'hamare liye ye sab kyun karna chahte ho?
Gaurav said to himself---mujhe ye karna hi hoga heer,main apne dil ke hathon majboor hoon' kyunki ye dil aab tumhara hain'. Mujhe tumse pyaar ho gaya hain'..i cnt help it'. I am in love with you'.
He smiled---bas' aise hi''..
...................................
Current Affairs
55