HIGHWAY NO. 66

HIGHWAY NO.66 

(हाईवे नंबर ६६ )....

Raat ke karib 1:15 baje main ek sunsaan sadak ke kinare ek dhabe par khada bus ka intzaar kar raha tha kyun ki mujhe apne dost ki shaadi par uske gaon jana tha aur raste mein meri bike kharab ho gayi thi aur aas paas us dhaabe ke ilava aur kuch nahi tha sirf sunsaan sadak aur uske aas-paas faila ghana jungle.

kuch 10-15 minute tak intzaar karne ke baad ek purani si bus aati dikhai di.maine apni bike ko wahi lock karke khada kar diya aur bus ke rukne ka intzaar krne laga ......

Woh bus dhabe se thodi agey ja kar ruki to main bhaagta hua bus mein chad gaya aur driver ke bagal wali seat par baith gaya....

bus chal padi.........

bus ke andar sannata tha aur ek light bulb jal raha tha jiski thodi si roshni soye hue passangers ke chehron par pad rahi thi.sadak par bahut andhera tha aur sadak ke aas paas sirf jungle tha. ...

 Ticket ke paise bus-driver ne hi le liye the kyoki vaise bhi mujhe bus me koi conductor nahi dikha. 15-20 minutes beetne ke baad sannate ko apni gehri magar shaant awaz se todte hue maine driver se pucha,

 "Lagta hai ke is highway ke raaste ke bare me kam hi logo ko pata hai isiliye to yahaan se koi bhi bus ya car nahi guzar rahi aur mai bhi pehle is highway se kabhi nahi aya".

Driver ne bola ki yeh ' highway no.66 ' hai isiliye.

"Highway no.66" !!! chehre par hairani ke bhaav lekar main driver se kuch puchne hi wala tha ki , 

Achanak 

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maine dekha ki ek aurat, dulhan ki tarah laal kapde pehane huye sadak ke beecho-beech khadi hui thi. Andhera zyada hone ke karan ya shayad kisi aur wajeh se main uska chahra nahi dekh paya. 

"Arey bus roko,woh bus ke niche aa jayegi",maine achanak kaha.

 Driver ne meri taraf dekha aur kuch na bolte hue bus ki speed badha di. Mujhe driver pe hairani aur gussa ek sath aya. Mai chahta tha ke mai kuch aisa kru ke woh aurat bach jaye lekin na jaane kyo kuch sochne ki jaddo-jehed me mai kuch nahi kar ska. Bus us aurat se takrane wali thi
  
  Aur

  ACHANAK  .......
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Achanak bus uske beech mein se guzar gayi .... 

Main yeh dekh kar hairan tha . Maine piche mud kar dekha to woh aurat wahaan nahi thi. Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha . Maine driver se pucha ki yeh sab kya ho raha hai, bus us aurat ke beech main se kaise guzar gai aur yeh ' highway 66 ' kya hai.........

Kuch der shaant rehne ke baad usne mujhe bataya ki aaj se 20-30 saal pehle ye highway bana tha , tab yahaan se bahut si gaadiyan guzarti thi . Lekin ek raat kisi driver ki laaparwahi ki wajah se ek aurat ka accident ho gaya aur uski maut ho gai.... Tab se us aurat ki rooh iss highway par bhatak rahi hai aur kisi kisi raat ko is highway par se guzarne wali gaadiyon ke samne aa jati hai.

Yeh sunkar mera dil zorron se dhadak raha tha aur mai us ghatna ko hote huye dekh raha tha jo ke kuch dhundhli tasveero ke zariye mere dimaag me chal rahi thi....
Main khamosh ho kar bas, us andhere highway par pad rahi bus ki dheemi lights ki roshni ki taraf dekh raha tha aur us bhayanak sannate mein bus ke chalne ki awaz sun raha tha . highway ke aas - paas lage pedon(trees) ki guzarti parchayian bhi mujhe bahut darawani lag rahi thi.

 "Aur haan............ Kuch log kehte hain ki jab bhi koi gaadi rok kar yeh dekhne ke liye utarta hai ki woh aurat kaun thi , woh aatma use khichti hui andhere jungle mein le jaati hai......"

 Yeh sunte hi mere rongte khade ho gaye aur shareer thanda pad gaya . par achanak Maine socha ki itna kuch hone ke baad bhi koi passenger nahi utha... Maine piche mud kar dekha toh main hairan reh gaya....
Wahan par koi passenger nahi tha ....
Is sab se mere sar mein tez dard hone laga, mera dimaag sunn ho gaya tha  , sab dhundla hone laga aur main behosh ho gaya......

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Tez roshni ki wajah se maine aankhen kholi aur aas pas dekha... Subah ho chuki thi aur main apni bike ke pass pada tha ...........

a story by - S.S.Wulfric