cïmw temI almbp² Ime¯v {^ôv tk\bpsS saUn¡ð Iym¼nð Hcp {_n«ojv bphXn BXpctkh\¯ns\¯n. ssiXy Imes¯ B bp² kab¯v NpdpNpdp¡mbn HmSn \Só B bphXn s]«óv Xsó FñmhcpsSbpw {i² ]nSn¨p ]än. Hcp amks¯ bp²¯n\p tijw Xncn¨p hcpó I¼\n¡v ]Icw ASp¯ I¼\n tk\ t]mIWw AXmbncpóp {^ôv tk\bpsS bp² coXn. B Iym¼nð Xsó Hcp bph ssk\nI\v bphXntbmSv sasñ sasñ ASp¸w tXmón. Ah³ AhÄ¡mbn {^ôv IhnXIÄ FgpXn acpóp t{UIfnð h¨v sImSp¡phm³ XpS§n. Fómð {^ôv Adnbm¯ bphXn B t]¸À XpïpIÄ Ae£yambn hen¨dnªp sImïncnóp. A§s\ amkw Hóp Ignªp bp²¯nembncpó Hcp I¼\n tk\ Xncns¨¯n bph ssk\nIsâ tk\¡v t]mtIï kabambn. t]mIm³ X¿mdmbn Cd§nb kab¯v Ah³ Hcp t]¸À IqSn AhÄ¡v sImSp¯p H¸w Hcp au¯v HmÀKWpw. ]Xns\móp Znhk§Ä¡v tijw ]cnt¡ähscbpambn ssk\nI hml\w XncnsI Iym¼n-se¯n, IqsS B bph ssk\nI\pw Dïmbncpóp Imen\p Xmtgm«v ]qÀWambpw XIÀó \nebnð A
"UmUv-, ho tUmïv lmhv aNv ssSw.' Cfb aI³ t\mbensâ Að¸w D¨¯nepÅ iÐw tPmkpIp«nsb Xsâ Nn´Ifnð \nópw DWÀ¯n. "sF Bw tKmbnwKv \u. sKäv sdUn ss_ sS³ Hm t¢m¡v Spamtdm. sF hnð Iw äp ]n¡v bp A¸v- ' \msf C\n Hcp bm{XbmWv. C\nbt§m«v, Fgp]Xp hbÊpÅ {_n«ojv ]uc³ tPmkpIp«nbpsS Xmakw, "k¬sjbn³ \gvknwKv tlmanð' XpScWw. CSs\ônð Aklyamb Hcp thZ\ tPmkpIp«n¡v A\p`hs¸«p. AbmÄ ASp¡f¡v kao]s¯ tÌmÀ apdnbnse ssh³ dm¡nte¡v th¨v th¨p \Sóp. tÌmÀ apdn \ndsb s]mSn \ndªncpóp. AbmÄ Npa¨p. hoSp hnð¡m³ GÀ¸mSv sNbvXncpóXv sImïv, hoSp hr¯nbm¡m³ hcpó ¢o\nwKv GP³kn¡mtcmSv C\n htcïXnñ Fóv aq¯ aIÄ tkm^n t^m¬ hnfn¨p ]dªncpóXv AbmÄ Adnªncpónñ. AbmÄ hnkvIn t_m«nð Xpdóp ¥mÊnte¡v- ]IÀóp. shÅw tNÀ¡msX Hcnd¡p IpSn¨p. t_m«nepambn, XncnsI AbmÄ kzoIcW apdnbnte¡v sNóp. t\mbð At¸mtg¡pw aS-§nt¸mbn F&oacu
`qan-bnð P\n¨ GsXm-cmfpw ChnSw hn«p t]msb ]äq. hgn-tbm-c-§-fnð \nó At\-Isc c£n-s¨-Sp¯ aZÀ sX-tck Bbmepw Bbn-c-§sf sImsóm-Sp-¡nb lnäveÀ Bbmepw icn Ah-km\w BdSn a®nsâ Pòn am{Xam-Ipw. ]pXp-a-tbmsS \ne-\nð¡pó Có-t¯Xpw Fó-t¯-Xpamb Hcp Nn´m-i-I-e-ap-ïv. "Nne-hm-¡m¯ ]Whpw ]IÀóv sImSp-¡m¯ Adnhpw Hcp t]mse'' BÀ¡pw D]-I-cn-¡p-ón-ñ. cmjv{So-b-¡mcpw _nkn-\Êv am^n-bm-Ifpw F{Xtbm ]Ww hntZi _m¦p-I-fnð A\y t]cp-I-fnð \nt£-]n-¨n-«p-ïv. AXnð ]eXpw Xncn-s¨-Sp-¡m-\m-ImsX BÀ¡pw D-]-I-cn-¡m-\m-ImsX kz´-¡mÀt¡m \m«p-ImÀt¡m D]-I-cn-¡-s¸-SmsX A\zm-[o\-s¸«p t]mbn-«p-ïv. ac-W-¯n-eq-sStbm Hm½ \mi-¯n-eq-sStbm A§-s\-bpÅ [\w aäp cmPy-¡m-cpsS ssII-fnð F¯-s¸«p t]mbn-cn-¡p-óp. AXp Hcp `mKw, C\n \½psS \m«n-epÅ ]Ww \ap¡p D]-I-cn-¡msX t]mIp-ó-Xn-s\-¸än Nn´n-¡mw. ]dªp hcp-óXp aäp Hóp-a-ñ. Xncp-h-\-´-]p-c-¯pÅ {io]-ß-\m` kzman t£{X-&ma
AanX {]Xo£tbmsS Im¯ncpó Hcp P\X¡v apónð, ip` ]Xo£tbmsS Hcp ]pXnb `cW ]£w `cWw XpS§n I-gnªp. ]gb hoªv ]pXnb Ip¸nbnð Fóv ]ecpw ]dbpt¼mgpw, sam¯¯nepÅ Cu sI«pw a«pw Iïmð Ft´m ]p¯³ tIm¼nt\j\p IfS§nb Hcp {]tXyI elcn XsóbpÅ Cu hoªv, ChÀ tIcf P\X¡v ]IÀóv Xcpsaóv Xsó \aps¡ñmw BßmÀ°ambn Xsó {]Xo£n¡mw.. tñ ^Ìv Cs{¼j³ Cukv s_Ìv C{¼j³ Fóv ]dbpó t]msebpÅ Hcp XpS¡w krãvSn¡phm³ \½psS ]pXnb apJya{´n¡pw Soan\pw {]m-[m\yw sN¿phm³ Ignªp.. H¸w Xsó tZiobambn Xsó \ñ ]cky hnRvPm]\Ifmð Cu hcthð--¸v sIm«nbdn¨v tamZn Xsâ tamUnIq«n sImïncn¡pó t]mse, Hcp apt¼ \S¡pw tKmhpX³ ]nt¼ \S¡pw C^Iväpw \½psS kz´w ]pXnb KhÀtaâo\pw km[n¨ncn-¡póp..! Iq«¯nð \nópw htbm[nIsc amän \ndp¯n AXmXnS§fnð BbXntâXmb {]mKð`yhpw, Ignhpw, XtâShpapÅ a{´namsc XnscsªSp¯mWv `cW]£w BZyw ssI¿Sn t\SnbXv. H¸
Rm³ ImÀ ÌmÀ«p sNbvXv ssdäv tS¬ knKv\en«t¸mįsó ]¯³knsâ ]mÀ¡nMv kvt]bvknse skIyqcnän¡mc³ tdmUntebv¡p ISóv, CS¯p \nópÅ hml\§sf ssIImWn¨p XSªp \nÀ¯n¯cm³ XpS§nbncpóp. AXp Iït¸mįsó {io P\ð Xmgv--¯n, X¿mdmbncpóp ImWWw. ImcWw, ImÀ tdmUntebv¡p ISóp sasñ het¯m«p Xncnbpt¼mįsó {io skIyqcnän¡mc\v Hcp t\m«p ssIamdn. Rm³ a\Ênð IïXv Ah³ am\¯p Iïp! skIyqcnän¡mc³ \ne¯v Dd¨p Nhn«n, Djmdnsemcp keyq«p ]mÊm¡n. {io cïp hncð sImïp s\änbnð kv]Àin¨p keyq«p kzoIcn¨Xp Rm³ I¬tImWneqsS Iïp. Aev]w ap¼p Rm³ duïnð \nóp Imdv Cd¡ns¡mïphót¸mÄ B skIyqcnän¡mc³ Gähpw apónepÅ ]mÀ¡nMv kvt]m«ntebv¡p \bn¨v, aäp hml\§Ä apónð ]mÀ¡p sNbvXv Fsâ hgn t»m¡m¡nsñóv Dd¸p hcp¯nbncpóp. A]qÀhw Nne skIyqcnän¡mÀ C§s\ t
A cold wind blew around the darkened cabin, the only light coming from the small fire. Max was able to get light in the fireplace. Stella was hunched down in front of the fire, sitting on a wobbly stool. She pulled her coat around her tighter. Max walked from window to window, straining to look around. The full moon offered some light. The limbs of the surrounding trees waved in the wind, some bowing and scratching the roof of the cabin. He looked over at his wife. She wasn't moving or talking. The hiking trip had been her idea and he had been enjoying the brisk hike until the noises began. Shouts and guttural noises suddenly surround them, but what or who was making the noise was unknown. They were spooked and plundered into the woods, lost, until they ran into the cabin. "Stella, are you ok?" Max asked in a low voice. The only answer was the nod of her head. "What were those noises and yells?" She asked in a shaky voice. "I don't know, but I wonder if wasn't those bunch of kids with one of those electronic gizmos trying to scare people off". He offered. "It worked". She said flatly. Max had just about convinced himself that he had the right idea when he heard a noise that wasn't the wind. Gooseflesh popped out of his body. It was moans and sounds of men talking and even the neighi
I\¯ aªp ImcWw 8 amk§Ä Bbn \nÀ¯n h¨ncpó ]peÀIme hymbmahpw kmlnXy krãnIfpw ssZhm\p{Kl¯mð hoïpw Bcw`n¡phm³ kmlNcyw Dïmbn. hfsc Gsd \ñ IaâpIÄ In«n. AXv CXv XpScphm³ {]tNmZ\w \ðIpóp. ssZh¯n\p kvXpXnbpw ]pIgvNbpw alXzhpw DïmIs«. CsXmópw F-\n-¡p thïm. Fñmw Fsâ krãmhn\v. Cóp cmhnse 5 aWn¡v Fgptóäp. Ipsd t\cw {]mÀ°n¨p.... ]nsó Iptdt\cw PohnXm\p`h§sf {]mÀ°tbmsS hnebncp¯n D]{Zhn¨ BfpIÄ AhtcmsSms¡ a\Êv Xpdóp £an¨p. Ch³ GXmSm Cu aï intcmaWn. \n§fnð Nnesc¦nepw Nn´n¡pópïmhmw. F\n¡v ]cmXn Cñ. F\n¡nXnð \nópw e`n¡pó kpJw kzÀKobw BsWsó\n¡dnbmw. hcs« hcs« \ap¡v IYbnte¡v hcmw... 6 aWnbmbt¸mÄ Pms¡«v Hs¡ C«p hoSn\p shfnbnte¡v..... aªp Imew Ignsª¦nepw \ñ XWp¸v Pms¡änsâ CgIÄ hymbmaw Hs¡ sNbvXp Dd¸pÅXm¡nb icoc¯ne Xpf¨p Ibdpópïv....... \ñ XWp¸v ImcWw Z´§Ä Xmfw ]nSn¨p XpS§n......Fsâ kplr¯v Fð
Cu kw`hw \Són«v Ct¸mÄ Hcp ]¯p ap¸¯n aqóp hÀj§Ä F¦nepw Bbn«pïm-hpw. Rm\pw Fsâ ktlmZcn tPmkntamfpw Aóv ss{]adn kvIqÄ hnZymÀYnIÄ BWv. A½ Ipª½ So¨À ss{]adn kvIqÄ So¨dpw Bbncpóp. A¡me¯p A½sb ho«ptPmenIfnð klmbn¡phm\mbn ta¸pds¯ Nnó tNS¯n Fsómcp tNS¯n hcpambncp-óp. Ignª i\nbmgvN ho«nð hnfn¨t¸mÄ BIkvanIambn F\n¡v Nn-ó-½ tNS¯nsb HmÀ½ hcnIbpw A½tbmSv At\zjn¡pIbpw sNbvXp... At¸mgmWv AdnªXv ]mhw tNS¯n CltemI hmkmw shSnªp... Nnó tNS¯n¡v aqóp s]¬a¡Ä BWv. Benkv, tamfn ]nsó CfbhÄ s]®-½... tamfnbmWv \½psS IYbnse tI{µ IYm]m{Xw... Ct¸mÄ FhnsSbmWmthm... F\n¡dnbnñ... hnhmlw Hs¡ Ignªp IpSpw_ PohnXw \bn¡pI Bbncn¡pw. FhnsSbmsW¦nepw kt´mjw Bbn Pohn¡s« ]m-hw... tam-fntN¨n CSbv¡p R§fpsS ho«nð hcpw A½sb klmbn¡phm\m-bn... tN¨nbpsS A½sbbpw R§fpsS A½sb-bpw... A¡me¯p Nmb¡Sbnð am{Xw e`n¡pó Hcp hninã hn`hw Bbncpóp
AhÄ Nn´n¡pIbmWv. AKm[ambn. Nn´bpsS thentbä¯nð I®pIÄ kPe§fmbn. kmb´\w AhfpsS I®pIfnð Hfn¸n¨t]mse I®pIÄ Nphóp. AhÄ¡v Nn´n¡mXncn¡m³ Ignªnñ. HmÀ½IÄ.... s\SphoÀ¸pIÄ....Fñmw th«¸«nIsft¸mse ]n´pScpóp. Hóv hoWpt]mbmð?? B apJ¯v I®p\ocnsâ D¸pIWw ]än¸nSn¨ncpóp. aWn¡qdpIÄ .... aWnIqdpIÄ am{Xw C\n _m¡n. Fñmw Xocpam\n¨pd¨ncn¡póp.... Fñmw. Fñm HmÀ½Ifpw HcpZnhkw Ahkm\n¡pw. Fñm HmÀ½Ifpw Hcn¡ð amªpt]mIpw. AhÄ em]v--tSm¸v Hm¬sNbvXp. Pnsabnenð temtKm¬ sNbvXv ssS]v sNbvXpXpS§n. hncepIÄ Iot_mÀUnð HgpIn \Sóp. Hcp I¯v. Htcsbmcp I¯v. HmÀ½IÄ sIm«nbS¡m\pÅ Ahkm\ hcnIÄ. ]pjv]n¡msX sImgnªp hoWv IcnªpW§nt¸mb aecpIfpsS _m¡n]{Xw. a\Ênð Hmtcmtcm t{^apIÄ hóp \ndªp. I®n\papónð Fñmw hÀ®m`ambn. tImtfPv... Im¼kv..... Nncnbpw, Ifnbpw Fñmsañmw ebn¨ptNÀó Ie]ne iЧÄ.
Pdp-itew tZhm-e-b-¯nsâ D¯pwKw kvXw`-§fpw Ipw`-tKm-]p-c-§fpw kqcy-In-c-W-§-tfäp Xnf-§n. Xnc-t¡-dnb tZhm-e-b-¦-W-¯n-te¡p `mc-ta-´nb H«-I-§fpw tImhÀ Igp-X-¡q-«-§-fp-ambn A\p-kyqXw {]h-ln¨p sImïn-cn-¡póp P\s¯ Iï-t¸mÄ Pqe-nbkv Dð¡-WvTm-Ip-e-\m-bn. At\I hÀj-§-fmbn blq-Zy-bnð {]hÀ¯n¨p hcpó tdma³ ssk\ym[n-]-\mWbmÄ. A{Iaw s]«n-¸p-d-s¸-«mð, F®-¯nð Npcp-¡-amb Xsâ ]S-bm-fn-IÄ Cu P\-t¯mSv F´p sN¿p-hm-\mWv? F¦nepw Pqen-bkpw ]S-bm-fn-Ifpw PmK-cq-I-cmbn \nóp. tZhm-e-b-¯nsâ hSt¡ Zn¡nð \nóv Hcp Bchw tI«p XpS§n s]mSn-]-Sew BIm-it¯-¡pb-cp-óp. P\w B `mK-t¯¡v Cc¨p \o§n. Ahsc \nb-{´n-¡m³ Ign-bmsX Pqen-bkv \tó hnj-an-¨p. ""tbip h-cpóp... tbip...'' tZhm-eb ]cn-k-c¯v \nóp-bÀó B i_vZw tI«-t¸mÄ Ahm-Ny-am-sbcp hnImcw Pqen-b-knsâ a\-Êns\ {Kkn-¨p. ssII-fnð ""£in-J-c-§-fp-ap-bÀ¯n-s¡mïv'' henb Hcp P\-¡q«w BÀ¸p hnfn-I-tfmsS cmP-]mX Xn§n \n
