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PART 3:
RECAP: "Aap gusse mein apne baare mein sab kuch bataa dete hain….good….tab tho aapko aur gussa dilaati hoon," Mahi stood up and grinned.
Shabd clenched his fists and walked out of their compartment. Mahi followed him with puris in her hands.
Shabd opened the door of the compartment and stood at the steps. The train was moving at lightning speed. Shabd just stared into the dark emptiness outside and contemplated what he should do next. He had no desire to live any longer; Suhani had taken every little morsel of aspiration and longing from his existence- she had shattered his heart into pieces; how could he ever live again?
"Waise train ki speed ko dekh kar tho lagta hai ki aapke bachne ke chances bahut kum hain," Mahi came and stood behind him and looked outside, "waise marne se pehle aapki koi aakhiri ichha hai?" she asked him as she bit off a piece of her puri.
Shabd's nostrils flared as he glared at her mouthful of puri and achaar. What was wrong with this girl? "yeh kyun mere haath dho kar peeche padh gayi hai?"
"Ok….nahin hai akhiri ichha tho….yeh lo…meri maa ke haath ka banaaya aam ka achaar khaakar maro…..kum se kum mooh ka taste tho achha rahega marte time….pata nahin itni raat ko," she peeped out, "itne andhere mein Yamraj bhi aayenge ya nahin…..kahin bhookhe pait na marna padhe…..mujhey khaane ka bahut shauk hai…..main bas bhagwan se yeh kehti hoon ki jab bhi maroo, khali pait na maroo….aapka kya khayal hai?" she grinned and stared at him innocently.
Shabd took a deep breath and looked up at the roof of the compartment, "hey bhagwan….yeh museebat mere gale kyun padhi hai?"
Mahi shut the door of the compartment and held Shabd's hand, "andar aaiye….aapko batati hoon ki gale padhna kise kehte hain," she pulled him by his hand back to their berths.
Shabd was exasperated by this petite but persistent girl.
"Tho kya problem hai aapki?" she asked, "why are you killing yourself? Aap padhe likhe….mmm…dekhne mein bhi theek thaak hain…..achhe ghar ke lagte hain…..then what is your problem?" she asked as she sipped on her water bottle.
"YOU! YOU ARE MY PROBLEM!" he yelled in frustration.
"Main?" she chuckled, "wo tho main hoon….mere ghar waale bhi sab yehi kahte hain ki main jahan jaati hoon problem khadi kar deti hoon…..ab dekho pichle saal meri bua ke bhai ke bhatije ki shaadi mein hum sab ko jaana tha..par main…."
"NO MORE! Theek hai main kahin nahin jaaoonga…I won't kill myself….if you promise to shut up!" he came close to her face with his teeth clenched. He was so close that their eyelashes were just a few inches apart. At that moment, they both gazed into each other's eyes and were momentarily lost in an eye locking session.
Shabd realized he was a little too close to this strange woman; he hesitated and stood up, "main oopar waali berth mein so jaata hoon."
"haan yeh theek hai…kyunki mujhey heights se darr lagta hai," Mahi took out her bedding and lay down on her berth.
"Waise Shabd…..aapne bataaya nahin aapki problem kya hai?" she asked from below.
"Leave me alone Mahi Malhotra!" he bellowed, "Good Night!" He was hoping that once she was fast asleep, he would slip out at the next train station.
But Mahi just tapped her feet and started humming a song.
"Can you stop singing?" Shabd yelled from above.
"Aapko mujh se accha gaana aata hai?" Mahi got up and looked up.
"NAHIN AATA…..AUR NA HI SUN NE KA SHAUK HAI!" he roared.
"Bahut boring hain aap…..shayad aapko marr hi jaana chaahiye tha," Mahi rolled her tongue and provoked him.
Shabd jumped off the top berth and stood in front of her, "tum mujhey marne bhi tho nahin deti…..aur na chain se sone de rahi ho!"
Mahi softened a little, "dekhiye Shabd……obviously aapki zindagi mein koi aisi pareshaani hai jo aap mujhey bataana nahin chaahte……par kya aapko haq bantaa hai ki aap apni zindagi ke saath aisa khilwaad karein…..aapke parents ka kya hoga?"
"I don't care…..and neither do they," Shabd sat down in anger.
"Tho yeh problem hai?" Mahi asked sympathetically.
"Nahin," Shabd said softly, "yeh hai meri problem," he took out his wallet and showed her a picture of Suhani.
"Oh yeh?" Mahi giggled, "is bandariya ke liye aap marna chaahte hain?"
"Bandariya?" Shabd was amused.
"Aur kya…..jo ladki aap jaise acche, susheel, khush, polite, kind insaan ko chhod sakti hai tho wo ya tho bandariya hogi ya koi pagal," Mahi chuckled.
She saw Shabd smile faintly; the first time since she had met him. So far, he had just presented his grumpy and rude side to her, but her sarcasm seemed to have touched a chord somewhere inside.
Mahi took his wallet and removed Suhani's photograph, "chaliye is bandariya ka antim sanskaar kar dete hain," she got up and opened the window.
"What? Yeh kya kar rahi ho?" He was aghast.
"Kar diya!" she let the picture fly off her hands into some dark, unknown emptiness.
Shabd had a bemused look on his face, "yeh tumne accha nahin kiya Mahi……lekin ek baat hai," he sat down beside her, "I am feeling a little lighter now."
"Wo tho hoga hi……she must have been quite heavy for you……..kaafi bhaari type ki hogi…..50-60 kilo tho hoga na wajan? Aur lagta hai usey aapke wallet se zyaada pyaar tha…..tho accha hua usey bahar phaink diya,' she brushed off her hands and closed the window.
Shabd shook his head and climbed up to the top berth again.
"Goodnight"
"Goodnight"
…to be contd…
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