Tabhi Ishita ka phone phir bajne laga. Usne is baar receive kiya. Saamne se uski maa ki awaaz aayi, "Kyun re r***di, phone kyun nahi utha rahi mera? Saali, sahi time se Ruby Hotel pahunch jaana." Itna bolkar usne phone side mein rakh diya, lekin Ishita ke kaan par abhi bhi phone tha. Saamne se awaaz aane lagi, "Bahut garmi hai usme seth, aap thoda pyaar se pesh aana. Aaj tak kisi ke bister par nahi gayi, lekin aap thoda pyaar aur paise lutaoge toh aapke niche toh aa hi jayegi..." Uski maa phone cut karna bhool gayi thi.

Wahi apni maa se khud ke liye aise lafz sunkar Ishita ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. Usne ek servant ko bataya aur wahan se chali gayi.

Majboori aur darr ke saaye mein Ishita ek ghante baad Ruby Hotel ke saamne khadi thi. Wahan ka mahaul ghinona tha. Har kone mein jism ki numaish ho rahi thi. Jab woh upar ke hall mein pahunchi, toh wahan sharab aur dhuen ke beech chaar-paanch aadmi baithe the. Uski maa ek jhoole par shaan se baithi thi aur Ishita ko dekhte hi usne use taiyaar hone ka ishaara kiya. Kuch der baad Ishita baahar aayi—gehra makeup, chamkile kapde aur toote huye sapne. Woh ek naachne wali lag rahi thi.

Ishita ne apne kaanpte kadmon se naachna shuru kiya. Ghunghruon ki awaaz us hall ke sannate aur un aadmiyon ki bhaddi phabtiyon ke beech dabkar reh gayi. Dhire dhire Uski aankhon ke saamne andhera chha raha tha, lekin woh ruk nahi sakti thi kyunki uski maa ki bereham nazrein lagataar us par gadi thi.

Dheere-dheere, sharab ke nashe mein dhut ve aadmi ek-ek karke kamre se baahar nikalne lage. Kisi ne uske upar note phenke, toh kisi ne uski bebasi ka mazaak udaya.

Aakhir mein, hall mein sirf ek aadmi bacha.

Woh aadmi kamre ke sabse andhere kone mein baitha tha, uski aankhon mein hawas saaf dikhayi de rahi thi. Ishita ki maa uthi, usne zameen par bikhre huyenoton ko sameta aur us aadmi ke paas jaakar jhukkar kuch phusphusaya.

Us aadmi ne jeb se noton ki ek gaddi nikali aur mez par patak di. Ishita ki maa ki aankhon mein chamak aa gayi. Usne mudkar Ishita ko dekha. Uski maa baahar chali gayi hai, ab bas hall mein woh aadmi aur Ishita bache the.

Woh aadmi apni jagah se uthkar naachti hui Ishita ke paas aaya. Woh Ishita ke jism ke har ang ko bariki se dekh raha tha.

Achanak us aadmi ne Ishita ka haath pakad liya jisse Ishita ruk gayi. Uski kaajal se sani aankhein niche thi. Us aadmi ne uski thodi (chin) ko pakad kar uske chehre ko daaye-baaye kiya aur kaan ke paas aakar bola, "Aaj se pehle maine tujh jaisi khoobsurat bala nahi dekhi," aur uske kaan ko halke se choom kar peeche hat-ta hai aur bolta hai:

"Aaj ke baad tujhe kisi ke saamne naachne ki zaroorat nahi hogi. Tu bas mere saamne mere liye nachegi. Tujhe ghar, gaadi, bangla, paise main doonga. Badle mein tu bas mujhe apna jism de."

Uske saanson se aati daaru ki mehak aur uski baaton se use ghin aane lagi. Usne zor se use dhakka diya aur boli, "Main veshya nahi hoon ki mere jism ko chand paison ke liye tujhe saunp doon. Thoo!" Usne us aadmi ke pairon mein thooka jisse woh aadmi aag-babula ho gaya aur baahar jaakar...

Uski maa par chillate huye bola, "Mere paise mujhe waapas kar! Us rdi mein bahut akad hai saali chhinnal!" Itna bol woh paise uthakar chala gaya.

Uss aadmi ke jaane ke baad hall mein ek khaufnaak sannata chha gaya. Ishita wahi zameen par dher ho gayi, uske ghungroo abhi bhi halki si awaaz kar rahe the jaise uski kismat par ro rahe hon.

​Lekin ye sannata zyada der nahi tika. Uski maa, jiske chehre par ab lalach ki jagah darindagi aur gussa tha, tezi se hall mein dakhil hui. Usne bina kuch soche-samjhe Ishita ke baal pakde aur use zameen se ghaseet-te hue khada kiya.

​

​"Tujhe sharm nahi aayi? Meri mehnat par paani pher diya!" Uski maa ne cheekhte hue Ishita ke gaal par ek zor-daar tamacha jada. Ishita ka chehre ek tarf jhuk gaya, uske honth se khoon nikalne laga.

​"Maa... woh mujhe kharidne ki baat kar raha tha," Ishita ne sisakte hue kaha.

​"Toh kya bura kar raha tha? Is gandi basti aur is narak se nikalne ka mauka tha tere paas! Paisa dekha tha uska? Tumhari wo manus behen bhi thik ho jaati,Utne paise tune apni poori zindagi mein nahi dekhe honge," uski maa ne dobara us par hath uthaya.

​Ishita ne is baar apni maa ka hath beech mein hi pakad liya. Uski aankhon mein ab darr nahi, balki ek aag thi.

​"Paisa? Sirf paisa hi sab kuch hai aapke liye? Aapne mujhe apni beti kabhi samjha hi nahi... Maa kehne mein bhi ab mujhe ghin aati hai."

​Uski maa thodi der ke liye sunn reh gayi, lekin phir usne ek bhaddi hasi hasi. "Maa-beti ka rishta pet nahi bharta, Ishita. Ab tu dekh, agar tu pyaar se nahi maanegi, toh main tujhe tod kar manwaungi."

​Uski maa ka gussa ab hadd se paar ho gaya tha. Usne diwaar par tanga ek purana chamde ka belt uthaya aur poori taqat se Ishita par barsana shuru kar diya.

Sann...!! Pehli belt Ishita ki peeth par padi. Uska jism tadap utha, aur ek dardnak cheekh hall mein goonj gayi.

"Bohot aakad hai na tujhme? Bohot izzat wali banti hai?" Uski maa ne dobara belt ghumayi. Is baar belt Ishita ke baazu par lagi, jahan se chamdi chhil gayi aur khoon nishaan banne laga.

Ishita zameen par gir gayi, apne hathoon se apna chehra chhipane ki koshish karne lagi. Lekin uski maa par jaise bhoot sawaar tha. Woh lagatar belt se use maarti rahi. Har ek vaar ke saath Ishita ki siskiyan kamzor hoti ja rahi thi. Uski maa ne do auraton ko ishara kiya jisse unhone ishita ke dono tange faila diya uski maa ne uske private area par belt se war karte hue kaha

" Itni pure to tu hai nhi apne bap aur mere raghav ka lekar bethi hai dusron me kya burai hai

"Maa... bas karo... mar jaungi main," Ishita ne rote hue gidgidayi, lekin uski maa ne ek na suni.

Maa ka Nafrat bhara Chehra

"Mar ja! Tere jaisi beti hone se achha hai ki tu mar hi jaye. Kam se kam mera nuqsan toh nahi karegi!"

Uski maa ne belt wahi fenki aur gusse mein pair patakti hui hall se bahar nikal gayi. Bahar se darwaza lock hone ki bhari awaaz aayi.

Ishita wahi thande farsh par adh-mari halat mein padi thi. Uske chamkile kapde ab phat chuke the aur jagah-jagah se neele nishaan ubhar aaye the. Uska jism dard se toot raha tha, lekin usse zyada dard uske dil mein tha. Jis maa ne use janam diya, wahi uski sauda-baazi kar rahi thi.

......