Woh joker jo kabhi soya nahi

Raat andheri thi. Itni andheri ke apni saans bhi ajnabi lagti thi. Kaan mein sirf ek hi awaaz aa rahi thi—ek ghanti ki halki chhan-chhan. Sheher ka purana hissah tha yeh. Jahan na street light kaam karti thi, na police. Aur jahan jo ek baar gaya, dobara kabhi nahi dikha. Ek laal gubbara hava mein hil raha tha, kisi ke hath se chhuta hua. Niche ek purani diary ka phata hua pannah pada tha—“He smiles only when he lies.” Amaan ko us raat wahan nahi aana chahiye tha. Par use kisi ne bulaya tha. Kaha gaya tha—“Agar tujhe sach jaan’na hai, to raat ke 1 baje us gali mein aana.” Amaan ke chhote bhai, Ishan, do hafte pehle gayab hua tha. Na school gaya, na ghar aya, na koi ransom call. Bas ek din ek photo aayi—ek joker ke saath, aur Ishan ki aankhon mein khauf tha. Joker ke chehre pe muskurahat thi—narmi nahi thi, sirf ek kathorta thi jo chehra cheer rahi thi. Usi gali mein, ek purana circus tha—"Mister Grim's Carnival of Joy." Pichle 14 saal pehle bandh ho chuka tha, jab ek aag lagi thi. Us aag mein teen bache mare gaye the, aur ek Joker... gayab ho gaya tha. Jisne unko last time dekha tha, kehta tha—“Woh unke liye hansa tha, unko rulane ke liye.” Amaan ne darwaza pe dhakka diya. Andar se sirf ek cheel ki cheekh jaisi awaaz aayi. Ek puraana tent tha, jisme hawa se hilti ghantiyaan latak rahi thi. Zameen par purane khilone the—jinke upar khoon ka purane daag the. Ek radio chalu tha—usmein sirf ek awaaz baar-baar sunayi di: “Haste raho... kyunki jab rona shuru hota hai, tab khauf sajta hai.” Usi tent ke beech mein ek kursi thi. Kursi par ek banda baitha tha—peeche se dikhayi diya. Lamba coat, kale bal, aur haathon mein ek gubbara. Usne bina palte poocha “Tu Amaan hai?” Amaan ne haan mein sir hilaaya. “Bhai dhoondhne aaya hai na?” uski awaaz mein ek khel tha, jaise har lafz ek maze se nikla ho. “Main use hansa raha hoon. Lekin usse rona zyada pasand hai. Bache aise hi hote hain na?” Amaan ne aage badhne ki koshish ki, par pair hil nahi rahe the. Jaise kuch pakad raha ho zameen se. Tabhi usne dekha, tent ke kone mein ek chhota haath—hila raha tha. Laal sweater... wahi jo Ishan pe tha jab woh gaya tha. Joker ne palat kar dekha. Nahin, woh Joker nahi tha. Woh insaan bhi nahi tha. Uske chehre pe mask nahi tha, par woh asli nahi lagta tha. Muskurahat... jaise kisi ne gale pe chaku rakha ho aur bola ho “smile.” Aankhen... khaali thi. Jaise har pal ek nayi maut ka manzar dikh rahi ho. "Tu sochta hai main bacho ko agwa karta ho?" "Nahi... main unko unki asli duniya dikhata hoon." "Yeh duniya jahan maa-baap hasne ko kehte hain, par khud rote hain." "Jahan raat bhar dar ke sapne aate hain, aur koi poochhta bhi nahi—‘kya hua beta?’" "Main bas woh sapne haqeeqat mein badalta hoon." Usne ek chhoti tape recorder nikali. Play kiya—ek chhoti awaaz aayi: “Bhai, mujhe ghar le jao please…” Ishan ki awaaz thi. Amaan ka gala sukh gaya. Joker aage bada. Uske pair se awaaz nahi aayi. Jaise hawa chal rahi ho. "Main tujhe ek mauka de raha hoon," usne kaha. "Ek game khelenge. Agar tu jeet gaya, to bhai ko le ja." "Par agar haar gaya… to tu bhi join kar le mere circus mein." “Tu ready hai, Amaan?” Tabhi tent mein lights bujh gayi. Ek projector chalu hua—aur screen par dikh raha tha ek classroom. Sab bache the, Ishan bhi. Par woh normal class nahi thi. Sab bachon ke chehre white paint se bhare the, aur aankhon ke neeche kaale circle. Sab haas rahe the, lekin aankhon se aansu nikal rahe the. Joker ki awaaz aayi—“Yeh meri class hai. Yahan muskurahat subject hai. Jo nahi hansa, woh gaya.” Amaan chillaya—"Tu kya chahta hai?" Joker ne kaha—“Sirf sach.” “Tu kitni baar ro chuka hai bina kisi ko bataye?” “Tu bhi to mask pehenta hai, jaise main.” “Tu bhi to Joker hai... bas corporate suit mein.” Lights wapas aayi, aur Joker samne tha. Ek chhaku uske haath mein tha, doosre mein ek clown nose. "Ab tu decide kar... sach dekhna hai, ya mask pehenke wapas bhaag jaana hai?" Amaan behosh ho gaya. Jab hosh aaya, woh ek classroom mein tha. Sab seats mein bache baithe the. Sab chup. Sab Joker jaise kapdon mein. Samne blackboard par likha tha—“WELCOME TO THE FINAL LAUGH.” Ek kursi khaali thi—uspe naam tha: Amaan.