THE SAVAGE

GHOST OF THE
SEA
[Samandar ka Darinda Bhoot]

Written by Muhammad Sohail Saeed

Karachi ke sahili ilaqay Clifton ke qareeb, raton ko aik ajeeb o ghareeb

khamoshi chha jati thi, jaise samandar khud kisi raaz ko chhupanay ki
koshish kar raha ho. Maqami log samandar se aati pur-asrar aawazon
ko mehsoos karte, magar is par zyada baat karne se guraiz karte.
Logon ka kehna tha ke raat ke andheray mein aik mallah ka bhoot
samandar ke kinare ghoomta hai, apni khoi hui mohabbat ko talash
karta hua. Who kehte thay ke ye mallah aik wafaq qaptaan tha, jis ne
samandar ke safar mein be-shumar zindagiyan zaya ki thi, aur iska
anjaam bhi utna hi bey-rehmi ka tha.

Ye kahani Ayla ke liye mehaz aik purani qissa thi, jab wo Karachi ke is
qadeem ilaqay mein muntakil hui. Ayla hamesha se apni dadi se in
bhooton ki kahaniyan sunti aayi thi, magar who kabhi in par yaqeen
nahi rakhti thi. Magar us din kuch ajeeb hua, jis ne uski dunya hi badal
di.

Aik raat, Ayla apni naukri se lot’tay waqt Clifton ke sahil par jaa
pohanchi. Wo roz ki tarah samandar ke kinare chahal qadmi karti,
magar us raat hawa mein aik ajeeb si sardi thi, jaise samandar ke
paniyon se khauf baramad ho raha ho. Chand badlon ke peechay
chhup raha tha aur aik pur-asrar dhun hawa mein tehr rahi thi. Ayla
ne apni aaspas nazar dourayi, aur uski nazrein aik saaye par jam
gayin.

Door, paniyon ke kinare aik shakhs khada tha, jis ki ankhon mein
khoofnaak surkh chamak thi. Ayla ke qadmon mein ajeeb sa bojh
mehsoos hua, jaise koi usay rokay hue ho. Wo shakhs dheere dheere
us ki taraf barhne laga, aur Ayla ke dil mein khauf ki leher dor gayi.

“Koun ho tum?” Ayla ne kanpti hui aawaz mein pucha.

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Who shakhs khamoshi se Ayla ke qareeb aata gaya, uske qadmon ki
aawaz samandar ki lehron ke saath madgham ho rahi thi. Ayla ka dil
zor se dharakne laga. Uske samne anay par who heran se uske chehre
ko dekhti reh gayi. Who koi aam insan nahi tha, balkay uska chehra
aadha jal chuka tha, jaise samandar ne usay apni wahshat ka shikar
banaya ho.

“mera naam Ayan hai,” usne bhaari aawaz mein kaha. “mein wohi
hoon jis ki tumhein talash thi, ya shayad mein who hoon jis se
tumhein bachna chahiye tha.”

Ayla ke qadmon ne peeche hatne ki koshish ki, magar uska jism

harkat karne se inkaar kar gaya. Wo jaanti thi ke ab wo khatre mein
hai, lekin use yeh maloom nahi tha ke khatra kahan se aa raha hai.

“tumhein yahan nahi ana chahiye tha,” Ayan ne dheere se kaha, uski
ankhon mein aik ajeeb si roshni thi. “ye samandar tumhein kheench
lega, jaise isne mujhe kheench liya tha.”

Ayla ne uski ankhon mein dekha aur uske dil mein aik ajeeb sa ehsas
jaga, jaise iska koi talluq is samandar aur is shakhs se ho. Usne
kanpte hue pucha, “Kya tum wohi bhoot ho jis ke baare mein log baat
karte hain?”

Ayan hans pada, aik khaufnaak aur sard hansi. “bhoot? Haan, log
mujhe yahi kehte hain, magar mein kuch aur hoon. Mein aik saza yafta
rooh hoon, jo tum jaise logon ko is samandar ki gehrayiyon mein le
janay par majboor hoon.”

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Ayla ke dimagh mein khauf aur tajassus ki ajeeb kashmakash shuru ho
gayi. Usne peeche hatne ki koshish ki, lekin uske qadmon ko
samandar ki nam rait mein dhans gayi. Uska dil zor zor se dharakne
laga, aur uske ird gird hawa ki sardi mein izafa hone laga.

Ayan ne aik gehri saans li aur apni khoofnaak kahani sunani shuru ki.
“Mein aik mallah tha, lekin mein aam mallah nahi tha. Mein apni taqat
aur lalach ke nashe mein dhat tha, aur logon ko lootne mein kabhi
hichkichahat mehsoos nahi karta tha. Mere jahaaz ke har safar ka
ikhtitam kisi aur ki barbadi par hota tha. Mein be khauf tha, aur
samandar meri taqat ban chuka tha. Lekin aik din, maine ghalat faisla
kiya.”

“aik toofani raat thi, aur maine apne jahaaz ko un ilaqon mein le janay
ka faisla kiya jahan aam tor par koi nahi jata tha. Log kehte thay ke in
ilaqon mein aik qadeem afreet rehta hai, jo samandar ki gehrayiyon se
uth’ta hai aur apne dushmanon ko kha jata hai. Maine in kahaniyon ko
kabhi sanjeedgi se nahi liya tha.”

“Lekin us raat, jab hamara jahaaz samandar ki gehraiyon mein ja raha

tha, aik khofnaak toofan utha. Samandar ki lehrain hamare jahaaz ko
nigalne ki koshish kar rahi thi, aur maine apne amaley ke saath larnay
ki koshish ki. Lekin mein jaanta tha ke ye toofan aam nahi tha. Ye
wohi afreet tha jiska mein mazak urata tha. Wo hamari jaan lenay aya
tha.”

Ayan ki ankhon mein mazi ki wahshat jhalknay lagi. “Mere sare sathi
samandar ki lehron mein kho gaye, aur mein bach gaya, lekin usne

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mujhe zinda nahi chhoda. Us afreet ne meri rooh ko qaid kar liya, aur
mujhe hamesha ke liye is sahil par bhatkne par majboor kar diya.”

Ayla ne uski kahani ko sun kar khauf mein doob gayi. “aur tum abhi
bhi us ke ghulam ho?”

Ayan ne sir jhukaya. “haan, mein ab uska ghulam hoon. Wo afreet

abhi bhi yahan hai, aur wo tumhein bhi le janay ki koshish karega.”

Ayla ke dil mein khauf ka toofan barpa ho gaya, lekin us ke saath

saath aik ajeeb sa ehsas bhi tha. Wo jaanti thi ke ye samandar aur ye
shakhs sirf kahaniyon ka hissa nahi hain. Kuch aur bhi tha, kuch jo
abhi tak wazeh nahi hua tha.

Achanak, samandar mein harkat hui. Lehrain tez hone lagi aur pani
mein aik ajeeb si chamak dikhayi dene lagi. Ayla ne khauf zadah ho
kar Ayan ki taraf dekha. “ye kya ho raha hai?”

Ayan ke chehre par aik khofnaak saaye ki lehr dor gayi. “Who aa raha
hai.”

Pani mein se aik lamba aur khofnaak wujood ubharnay laga. Uska jism
siyaah aur namkeen pani se bhara hua tha, aur uski ankhain jalti hui
angaaron ki manind chamak rahi thi. Who wujood koi aur nahi tha,
balkay wohi afreet tha jis ne Ayan ki rooh ko qaid kar rakha tha.

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“Mein tumhein kabhi azaad nahi hone doonga,” afreet ne apni
khoofnaak aawaz mein kaha. “tum dono ko is samandar mein dafn kar
doonga, aur tumhari roohain hamesha ke liye meri qaid mein rahengi.”

Ayan ne Ayla ko peeche dhakela. “yahan se bhaago! Wo tumhein bhi le

jayega.”

Ayla ne khauf zadah ho kar peeche hatne ki koshish ki, lekin samandar
ki lehron ne use rok diya. Afreet ki ankhon mein aik khatarnaak
chamak thi, jaise wo Ayla ko apne qabze mein lenay ke liye bechain
ho.

Isi lamhe, Ayla ke dil mein aik ajeeb sa ehsas jaga. Usne Ayan ki taraf
dekha, jo us afreet ke samne be bas khada tha. Uske dil mein Ayan ke
liye aik ajeeb si hamdardi aur mohabbat paida hone lagi.

Wo jaanti thi ke Ayan apni zindagi mein aik wahshi mallah tha, magar
ab wo aik saza yafta rooh tha, jo apni ghaltiyon ka kafara ada kar raha
tha.

“Nahi,” Ayla ne zor se kaha. “Main tumhein dobara ghulam nahi banne
doongi.”

Afreet ne Ayla ki taraf dekha aur hansne laga. “Tumhari mohabbat kisi
kaam ki nahi. Ye samandar meri taqat hai, aur tumhein koi nahi bacha
sakta.”

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Ayla ne apni ankhon mein aansuon ke sath Ayan ki taraf dekha. “Tum
ne apni sari zindagi ghaltiyan ki, magar ab tumhein aik moqa mila hai
apne aap ko sudharne ka. Agar tum apni rooh ko is afreet ke qabze se
azaad nahi karte, to wo tumhein hamesha ke liye qaid kar lega.”

Ayan ne Ayla ki baat ko sun kar apni ankhon mein dard mehsoos kiya.
“Meri rooh qaid ho chuki hai, Ayla. Tum yahan se chali jao, warna
afreet tumhein bhi apni roohon ki fauj mein shamil kar lega.”

Magar Ayla ne peeche hatne ke bajaye, Ayan ke qareeb aane ka faisla

kiya. “Nahi, Ayan. Agar tumhein apni qaid se azaad karna hai to
tumhein apne andar chhupi hui taqat ko jagana hoga.”

Afreet ne zor se dhoar lagai aur paniyon ke andar se chhalkta hua Ayla
ki taraf barhne laga. “Tumhein koi nahi bacha sakta!” uski aawaz
samandar ke joron mein doobi hui thi.

Ayla ne Ayan ka haath pakra aur uski taraf dekha. “Tumhari taqat is
afreet ka samna kar sakti hai. Tumhein apni ghaltiyon ko maan’na
hoga aur unhein sudharne ka faisla karna hoga.”

Ayan ke dil mein ajeeb si roshni chamakne lagi. Usne apni purani
zindagi ko yaad kiya—wo lamhe jab usne logon ka khoon kiya tha, jab
wo sirf lalach aur taqat ke nashe mein apni insaniyat kho chuka tha.
Usne samandar ko apna maqam banaya tha, magar ab wo samajh
gaya ke uska asal maqsad kya tha.

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Ayan ne apni ankhain band ki aur apne andar ka saara khauf aur
nafrat nikaalne ka faisla kiya. Usne afreet ki taraf dekha, jo ab uske
aur Ayla ke qareeb tha.

“Tumhein meri rooh par kabhi koi haaq nahi tha!” Ayan zor se
chillaaya. “Mein apni ghaltiyon ka kafara ada karne ko tayar hoon.”

Afreet ruk gaya, uski ankhon mein khoof aur ghusse ka izhar tha.
“Tumhari rooh meri hai, Ayan!”

“Lekin ab nahi,” Ayan ne jawab diya. “Tumhein mujh par jitni bhi taqat
thi, ab wo khatam ho gayi hai. Mein azaad hoon.”

Isi lamhe, samandar ki lehrain thami aur afreet ka jism dheere dheere
pani mein ghulne laga. Uske chehre par ek khoofnaak cheekh thi, jo
samandar ki lehron mein ghonjtay hue doob gayi. Pani qareeb aaya
aur afreet ko hamesha ke liye apni gehrayiyon mein le gaya.

Ayla aur Ayan chupchap kharay thay, jab afreet ka jism ghayab ho
gaya. Ayla ne Ayan ke haath ko zor se thaam liya. “Tum azaad ho,
Ayan.”

Ayan ne apni ankhon se aansoo pochhay aur dheere se muskuraya.

“Haan, ab mein azaad hoon.”

Samandar ka pur-asrar bhoot, jo aik waqt main logo ke liye khauf ka

sabab bana tha, ab sirf aik kahani ban chuka tha. Ayan ne apne andar

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ki rooh ko pehchan liya tha, aur Ayla ne apne dil ki taqat ko samajh
liya tha. Ab un dono ke liye nayi zindagi ka safar shuru ho Chuka tha,
jis mein na koi bhoot tha aur na hi koi afreet—sirf mohabbat aur azadi.

To be continued….!!