Hungry River

Mera naam Zayden hai. Main ab teen saal ka hoon. Mujhe chizoun par chadhai karna bohot pasand hai — kursi, table, bed, aur sabse zyada apni almari. Jab main almari par chadhta hoon, mujhe lagta hai main Spider-Man hoon. Woh mera favourite hero hai. Shayad isliye bhi chadhta hoon, kyunki us waqt meri mama mujhe dekhti hain.

Meri mama ne mujhe tab janam diya tha jab woh sirf 18 saal ki thi. High school ki graduation ke turant baad. Jab main sirf do saal ka tha, mere mama aur papa alag ho gaye the. Woh aksar ladte rehte the — is baat par ke mujhe kaun sambhalega. Papa har baar koi na koi bahaana bana kar milne nahi aate the, aur mama unpe gussa nikaalte hue apni friends se Facebook par unki burai karti rehti thi.

Phir ek din, mere ghar mein ek naya mehmaan aaya — mera chhota bhai Zion. Uske aane ke baad mama aur zyada busy ho gayi. Din bhar uski bottle banana, diaper badalna, ya usse sulana — unka sara waqt Zion ke saath guzar jaata. Main aksar TV ke samne baitha rehta tha, chup chaap. Kabhi kabhi jab main bore ho jaata, toh bistar par uchhalta ya phir almari par chadh jaata, bas is umeed mein ke mama mujhe dekhein, mujhe rokein, ya shayad thoda khel bhi lein.

Humare paas gaadi nahi thi, isliye zyada tar jagahon par paidal ya bus mein jaate the. Main thak jaata, lekin mama ke kehne par chalna padta. Ek din, Sunday ko, papa ne waada kiya tha ke woh mujhe milne aayenge. Lekin woh nahi aaye. Mama gusse mein thi, lekin kuch nahi kaha. Unhone Zion ko stroller mein bithaya, aur mujhe haath pakad kar le gayi — downtown ki taraf.

Jab hum ek bade bridge par pahuche, main thak gaya tha. Maine apni chhoti tangon se chalna chhod diya. Phir mujhe yaad aaya, bridge ke kinaare chadhai karne wali railings. Jaise ghar par chadhta hoon, waisa hi bridge ke kinaare chadh gaya. Mujhe maza aa raha tha. Hawa tez chal rahi thi, main Spider-Man ban gaya tha.

Par achanak mera pair fisla. Mama cheekhi, lekin main neend mein tha — jaise paani mujhe kheench raha ho. Thanda, gehra paani mujhe andar le jaa raha tha. Mama ki awaaz door se sunayi de rahi thi — "Zayden!" Bas itna suna, phir sab kuch shaant ho gaya.
Ab main ek **azad rooh** hoon. Upar se sab dekh sakta hoon. Dekh raha hoon ke mama din raat roti hain. Papa un par ilzam lagate hain. Dono ke chehre pe sirf dukh hai. Shayad unhe nahi pata ke main ab bhi yahan hoon.

Main aksar usi bridge par jaata hoon jahan se gira tha. Wahan log laal gubbare chhod jaate hain. Unmein Spider-Man bane hote hain. Mere naam ke saath ek chhoti tasveer bhi hai. Main Zion ko bhi dekhta hoon — ab woh bada ho raha hai. Main chahta hoon ke uski zindagi behtar ho.

Paani mein kuch log mujhe dhoondhne aaye. Woh chhoti boaton mein hain. Unke haath mein lambi lakdiyan aur torches hain. Shayad woh meri body dhoondh rahe hain. Lekin main toh ab hawa mein hoon, ek halka sa jhonka ban chuka hoon.
Phir ek din, jab sab kuch shaant tha, ek **roshni ka dariya** khula. Ek chamakdar insaan safed aur sunehri kapdon mein aaya. Unka chehra itna roshan tha ke meri aankhen chundhiya gayi.

Zayden, ab tum swarg mein ho. Yahaan tumhara dard khatam ho gaya. Tum apne maa-baap ke guardian angel ban gaye ho. Ab tum yahan mere saath rahoge**,” unhone kaha.

Main unke saath chal pada. Neeche duniya choti si lag rahi thi. Lekin mera dil halka tha. Main apni maa aur bhai ke saath hamesha rahunga — unki hifazat karne ke liye.
Zayden ab sukoon mein hai. Woh ek farishta ban chuka hai.