Ebhabe Fire Asha Jai
Shoroter bikel. Akashe sada megh bhese berachhe. Gramer pas diye boye jawa soru nodita aajo ager motoi shanto. Nadir dhare dariye ache Arnab. Onek bochor por she abar ei grame fire esheche.
Ei gramei tar jonmo, ei gramei tar shoishob keteche. Kintu ekdin hotat kore take shobkichu chere chole jete hoyechilo. Aaj eto bochor por fire eshe tar mone hocche jeno shomoy theme ache.
Arnab dhire dhire nodir joler dike takalo. Joler dheuye jeno bhese uthche purono smriti. Shei chotobelar din gulo—mathe dourano, bondhuder sathe khela, ar shobcheye boro kotha… Meghlar sathe kataano shomoy.
Meghla chilo gramer shobcheye hashikhushi meye. Tar chokhe chilo oddbhut ekta maya. She hashle mone hoto chaarpasher shob kichu aloy bhore geche. Arnab ar Meghla ekshathe school e jeto, ekshathe nodir dhare bose golpo korto.
Ekdin bikale tara dujon nodir dhare boshe chilo. Batase kashful dulchhilo. Meghla hotat bollo,
"Arnab, tumi ki kokhono ei gram chere chole jabe?"
Arnab hese bollo,
"Na re, ami kothao jabo na. Ei gram tai to amar shob."
Meghla ektu chup kore roilo. Tarpor aste kore bollo,
"Jodi ekdin chole jao… tahole ki abar fire asbe?"
Arnab moja kore bollo,
"Obosshoi firbo. Karor ekhane to tumi acho."
Sedine dujonei hese uthechhilo.
Kintu jiboner golpo shobshomoy eto shohoj hoy na.
Kichu mash por Arnaber baba hotat oshustho hoye porlen. Shongsharer obostha khub kharap hoye gelo. Bari te takar obhab. Badho hoye Arnab ke shohore jete holo kajer khonje.
Sedine jokhon she gram chere jacchhilo, tokhon Meghla nodir dhare dariye chilo. Tar chokhe jol chilo.
Meghla dhire bollo,
"Tumi ki shotyi fire asbe?"
Arnab bollo,
"Haan, ami obosshoi firbo."
Kintu shohorer jibon khub kothin chilo.
Arnab prothome ekta chhoto dokane kaj shuru korlo. Shara din kaj, raat e klanto hoye ghum. Dhire dhire she nijer porishrome ektu ektu kore egote laglo.
Bochor kete gelo.
Shohorer byasto jibone onek kichu bodle gelo. Notun manush, notun kaj, notun shopno—shob kichu tar jibon ke bodle dilo.
Kintu tar hridoyer gobhire kothao ekta shunnota chilo.
Majhe majhe raat e ghum bhangle she gramer kotha mone korto, nodir kotha mone korto, ar shobcheye beshi mone korto Meghlar kotha.
Kintu shomoyer sathe sathe jogajog hariye gelo.
Ekdin hotat Arnab siddhanto nilo—she abar grame firbe.
Onek bochor por aaj she abar sei grame dariye ache.
Shob kichu jeno abar notun kore mone porche.
Arnab dhire dhire gramer moddhe diye haat te laglo. Kacha rasta, pashe shobuj dhankhet, dure bashbagan—shob kichu jeno take shagotom janachhe.
Hotat tar chokh porlo ek chhoto barir dike. Ei barita she khub bhalo korei chine.
Etai chilo Meghlader bari.
Tar buker moddhe ta kemon jeno kaaplo.
She dhire dhire dorjar kache giye daralo.
Arnab dorjay knock korlo.
Kichukhon por dorja khullo ek mohila.
Arnab obak hoye takiye roilo.
Ei chokh… ei mukh…!
E to Meghla!
Meghla o kichukhon chup kore takiye roilo. Jeno bishash korte parchhe na.
Tarpor aste bollo,
"Arnab… tumi?"
Arnab halka haslo.
"Haan… ami fire eshechi."
Meghlar chokhe jol chole elo.
She aste bollo,
"Ami jantam tumi ekdin firbei."
Arnab obak hoye jiggesh korlo,
"Tumi ki eto din opekkha korechho?"
Meghla ektu haslo.
"Shobai bole manush ekbar chole gele aar fire ashe na. Kintu ami bishash kortam… kichu manush abar fire ashe."
Shondhar alo dhire dhire andhokare mile jachhilo.
Nodir dhare abar boshe ache Arnab ar Meghla.
Onek bochor por abar sei purono jaygay.
Arnab dhire bollo,
"Meghla, ami deri kore felechi."
Meghla matha naarlo.
"Na Arnab… kichu manush deri kore ashe thikoi… kintu tara fire ashe. Ar setai shobcheye boro kotha."
Sei muhurte Arnaber mone holo—
jibone shotyi ebhabe fire asha jai.