Kwakukhona umfana owayehlala epulazini elaliseduze komuzi. Wayehlala nonina, uyise nodadwebo. Umuntu ngamunye kulo mndeni wayenomsebenzi wakhe okhethekile okumele awenze. Umsebenzi womfana kwakuwukwelusa izimvu.

Njalo ekuseni wayethatha izimvu azise edlelweni. Izimvu zazidla utshani nokunye okumilayo. Wayezelusa usuku lonke.

Kwakukhona amadwala nezihlahla emphethweni wedlelo. Kwakuyilapho okwakuhlala khona izimpungushe, kodwa umfana wayenza isiqiniseko sokuthi izimvu zazingasondeli emadwaleni. Njalo ebusuku wayebuyisela izimvu epulazini ukuze ziphephe.

Ngesikhathi umfana eluse izimvu, udadewabo wayeya emzini eyodayisa imifino namaqanda okwakuvela epulazini labo. Emakethe lapho wayekhuluma nawo wonke umuntu.

“Udadewethu uhlale enabantu akhuluma nabo,” kusho umfana ngolunye usuku. “Unabangani abaningi kodwa mina anginabo. Ngilapha, ngedwa, usuku lonke. Ngihlale ngingenaye umuntu engizokhuluma naye.” Wabuka izimvu zakhe waphefumula kancane.

Ngemva kokucabanga ngalokhu isikhathi eside waqhamuka nesu. “Ngiyazi ukuthi ngizokwenzani,” kusho yena. “Ngizomemeza ngithi nansi ‘iMpungushe!’ Wonke umuntu uzoza azongisiza. Ngizobe sengithi impungushe ibuyele ezihlahleni. Ngizobasiza ukuthi bayifune. Ngizobe sengithola umuntu engingaxoxa naye. Sizoxoxa ngezimvu, izimpungushe kanye nezinye izinto.”

Ngakho ngolunye usuku walizama isu lakhe. Waqala ukumemeza ngenkathi egijima ehlela emzini.

“Impungushe! Sizani bo!” esho ememeza kakhulu.

Abantu bamuzwa ememeza bagijima bayosiza. Bafika nezinduku namatshe; imishanelo namafosholo. Bafika nanoma yini ababeyitholile eyayingasiza ukuxosha impungushe.

Vele, kwakungekho mpungushe. Umfana wayeqamba amanga. Kodwa abantu babengakwazi lokhu. Ngemva kokufuna isikhashana, abanye abantu bahlala ukuze baxoxe nomfana. Lokhu kwamthokozisa kakhulu.

“Ngicabanga ukuphinda futhi,” kusho yena sekuhambe wonke umuntu. “Bekumnandi kakhulu ukuba nabantu engingaxoxa nabo.”

Ngesikhathi ebuyisela izimvu ekhaya ngalobo busuku, abomndeni wakhe base bezwe konke ngokumemeza kwakhe ecela usizo, base bemncenga ukuba abatshele ukuthi kwenzekeni.

“Ngizwe ngombhaki,” kusho uyise.

“Bengisemzini ngabona abantu begijima beyosiza,” kusho unina.

“Ngabe bese wesaba?” kubuza udadewabo.

Ngakho umfana wabaxoxela ngempungushe, kanti namanga alokhu ekhula, ekhula.

Ngemva kwesonto umfana omncane waphinda wenza into efanayo. Wamemeza ngesikhathi egijima ehlela emzini. “Impungushe! Sizani! Sheshani!”

Abantu basemzini baphuma beshesha futhi bezomsiza. Baphinde bangathola mpungushe futhi. Ngalesi sikhathi bafuna ukwazi ukuthi kwenzekani.

“Asiboni minyatheliso yamanqina,” kusho omunye.

“Izimvu zakho azibonakali neze zethukile.” kusho omunye.

Abantu basemuzini abazange bahlale isikhathi eside bakhononda ngesikhathi beya ekhaya.

Kwase kufika usuku lapho umfana abona ngempela khona isithunzi sihamba ngasemadwaleni. Wabona amadlebe amabili acijile nomsila omude. Wabona noboya obumpunga sakuba mnyama emhlane wayo. Inhliziyo yakhe yashaya ngamandla. Kwakuyimpungushe futhi yayisondela inyonyobela izimvu zakhe. Ngalesi sikhathi wamemeza kakhulu ngempela.

“SIZANI! SIZANI! Kukhona impungushe! Sheshani!”

Ngesikhathi egijima eya emzini eyofuna usizo, wabona impungushe iluma enye yezimvu zakhe. Wagijima wabuyela emhlambini wakhe elokhu ememeze njalo. Kodwa akukho muntu owazomsiza.

Impungushe yabamba izinyane lemvu elilodwa yabaleka nalo yangena ezihlahleni ngasemadwaleni. Izimvu zazethuke kakhulu zabaleka zonke. Kwathatha umfana amahora amaningi ukuthi azithole zonke azibuyisele ekhaya.

Wathi uma esefike ekhaya wakhononda kakhulu, “Akukho muntu ozile wazongisiza. Bekungenzeka ngilimale. Kulimele imvu eyodwa kanti impungushe ithathe izinyane lemvu elilodwa. Kulokhu beyikhona ngempela impungushe kodwa akekho umuntu ongilalele ngesikhathi ngimemeza.”

“Kulokhu?” kubuza uyise. “Usho ukuthini uma uthikulokhu?”

Umfana omncane kwadingeka akhulume iqiniso. Uyise wathukuthela kakhulu.

“Angizukukujezisa,” kusho yena. “Uzofunda maduze nje ukuthi kwenzekani ebantwini abaqamba amanga.”

“Kwenzekani?” kubuza umfana.

“Kulula,” kusho uyise. “Uma abantu sebazi ukuthi uqamba amanga, angeke baphinde bakukholwe nanini, nomasewukhuluma iqiniso. Akekho umuntu okholwa umuntu onamanga.”

Kanti lokho kwaba isijeziso esanele kumfana. Akukho muntu emzini owaphinde wakholwa yinoma yini ayishoyo.