Chapter 2 – Ajnabi ka Paigham
Subah ki pehli roshni ne kamre ko halkay sunehri rang me rang diya tha. Aafreen ne tasbeeh ko apne sirhane rakha aur uthi. Uski chai ka cup abhi bhi aangan me rakha tha, barish ke qatray us par chhupke se gir gaye the.
Wo cup uthakar ander layi, lekin uski nazar ek chhote se kagaz par pad gayi — wo kagaz chai ke cup ke paas, zameen par bheeg chuka tha.
Honth kas ke usne kagaz khola. Us par sirf ek jumla likha tha:
"Amanat sirf Allah ki hoti hai… aur tum meri amanat ho."
Uske dil ki dhadkan tez ho gayi. Ye kaun ho sakta hai? Usne charon taraf dekha, magar aangan bilkul khaali tha. Sirf hawa ka halka sa jhonka tha jo kagaz ko uske haath me hila raha tha.
Dopahar tak wo kagaz uske dimaag me ghoomta raha. Aafreen ne dil me kaha: "Ya Allah, agar ye koi fitna hai to isse door kardein… lekin agar ye aap ka likha hua hai, to mujhe is amanat ka matlab samajhne ki qudrat de."
Raat ko jab wo namaz-e-tahajjud ke liye uthi, to mehsoos hua jaise kahin door se adhan ki awaaz aa rahi ho — lekin is waqt adhan ka waqt to nahi tha. Saath hi uske phone par ek unknown number se message aaya:
"Amanat ko paane ke liye sabr ki kasam khata hoon… waqt aane par tum khud pehchaan logi."
Aafreen ka dil ab dar aur sukoon ke beech phans gaya tha…Chapter 3 – Pehla Saaya
Wo din shehar ki galiyon me ek ajeeb sa sukoon le aaya tha. Barish ab ruki hui thi, magar mitti ki khushboo abhi bhi hawa me ghuli hui thi. Aafreen apni khala ke saath bazaar gayi thi — kuch kapde lene, Eid kareeb thi.
Bazar me bheed thi, magar Aafreen ka dil aj bhi bechain tha. Har dusre pal use lagta koi usay dekh raha hai. Usne apni dupatte ki chaadar thodi aur sambhal li.
Kisi kapde wale stall ke paas, usne ek halka sa saya dekha… lamba, sakht qadam chalne wala. Uska chehra saaf nazar nahi aa raha tha, magar uski nigah — bas ek pal ke liye — uske chehre se mili.
Aur wo pal jaise ruk gaya.
Us nigah me na hawas thi na shokhpan… sirf ek gehri zimmedari. Jaise koi dil me ek waada liye chal raha ho.
Aafreen ne apna sar jhuka liya, lekin jab dobaara upar dekha, wo saya bheed me kho chuka tha.
Raat ko jab wo apni diary likh rahi thi, to uske phone me phir se wohi unknown number ka message aaya:
"Amanat ka pehla deedar ho gaya… ab bas waqt ka intezaar karo."
Uski ungliyan thandi ho gayin. Wo sajde me gir gayi, aansuon ke saath dua karte hue:
"Ya Allah, agar ye mere liye hai, to isme barakat den… aur agar nahi, to is raaste ko abhi rok dijiye."
Magar uske dil ke kisi kone me ek halki si roshni jal gayi thi… ek aisi roshni jo chupke se umeed ka naam le rahi thi.