Kwakusina, idyudyuza nyhani, kwaye u-Amina yena wayekruqukile kwaye enesithukuthezi. Kwakungekho namnye kubahlobo bakhe owayekwazi ukuza kudlala naye kwaye bonke abantu apha endlwini babexakeke zezabo! Bonke abantu babehlala bexakekile! Kwakungemnandanga tu ukuba ngoyena mntu mncinane.

U-Amina wayengqengqe ebhedini yakhe. Wenza unonkqo ngentloko yakhe. Wasa wanxiba iwigi yakhe, wadanisa. U-Amina wajikeleza ezibhijabhija. Wabaleka etyhuthuzela. Etyityimba, ezidlikidla. Emva koko wazijula ebhedini yakhe. Akukho nto yancedayo. Wayesakruqukile kwaye esenesithukuthezi.

Ngoko ke, u-Amina wakhupha izinto zakhe zokudlala. Uninzi lwazo yayizizinto awayezishiyelwe naziphiwe ngoodade wabo abadala, nditsho nebhokisi le yokugcina izinto nayo wayeyiphiwe. Wabeka u-Eli, uDassie, uRabbit noMouse ebhedini yakhe. Babeza kuba nethekwana lokuphunga iti xa athe wayifumana itipoti.

Wakhangela ebhokisini kwakhona waze wafumana uYin’a le ngelo thuba. Wayelele elityelwe emazantsi engobozi yomthungo, ezantsi ebhokisini yezinto zokudlala.

U-Amina wamguqula uYin’a le ukuze abone ubuso bakhe, kodwa wayengenabo.

Usizana olulityelweyo olunguYin’a le! Wayemile bungqukuva-buskweri, kodwa wayengenabuso nazingalo okanye imilenze okanye amaphiko okanye umsila, esisibhukubhuku nje.

U-Amina wamhlalisa phezu kwebhedi uYin’a le phakathi kuka-Eli noDassie, baze bajongana noRabbit noMouse. Wayifumana itipoti waze wankinkisha iti, baphunga. U-Eli, uDassie, uRabbit kunye noMouse baphunga bagqiba ngokukhawuleza, ngokunjalo kwano-Amina. Kodwa zange akwazi yena uYin’a le. Phufu, wayeza kukwazi njani ukwenza oko engenamlomo nje!

Ngoko ke, u-Amina wathatha uYin’a le kunye nengobozi yomthungo waya kukhangela umakhulu wakhe.

“Yintoni leyo?” kubuza umakhulu wakhe.

“NguYin’a le,” watsho u-Amina. “UYin’a le ufuna umlomo.”

“Kulungile ke,” watsho umakhulu ka-Amina, “kodwa kufuneka sikhawulezise, kuba ndixakeke kakhulu kwaye ininzi into ekufuneka ndiyenzile.”

Umakhulu ka-Amina wamnceda wathungela umlomo kaYin’a le; umlomo omhle ononcumo.

“Kwaye uYin’a le ufuna impumlo,” watsho u-Amina. Kodwa umakhulu wakhe wayengasammamelanga tu.

U-Amina wakhangela udade wabo ophakathi, uFozia.

“Yintoni leyo?” kubuza uFozia

“NguYin’a le,” kutsho u-Amina. “UYin’a le udinga impumlo.”

“Kulungile,” kutsho uFozia, “kodwa kufuneka sikhawulezise, kuba ndixakeke kakhulu kwaye kuninzi ekusafuneka ndikwenzile.” UFozia wanceda u-Amina bathungela uYin’a le impumlo, impumlo encinane ephequkileyo.

“Kunye namehlo,” watsho u-Amina. Kodwa uFozia wayesele engasammamelanga. Ngoko ke, u-Amina waya kukhangela udade wabo omdala, uShireen.

Endleleni eya kuye, u-Amina wabonwa ngutata wakhe.

“Yintoni leyo?” wabuza utata wakhe.

“NguYin’a le,” watsho u-Amina, “UYin’a le udinga amehlo.”

“Akhona endinawo, watsho utata wakhe, “kodwa kufuneka sikhawuleze, kuninzi ekusafuneka ndikwenzile.”

U-Amina kunye noTata wakhe bathungela uYin’a le amehlo – amehlo amabini amenyezelayo angamaqhosha

“Kunye nomsila,” watsho u-Amina.

“Hayi ke, andikwazi kukunceda ngaleyo,” watsho uTata wakhe.

Ngoko ke, u-Amina waya kukhangela udade wabo omdala, uShireen.

“Owu, Nkosi yam,” watsho uShireen, “Uyifumene phi loo nto?” U-Amina uye wamxelela. “Wowu!” watsho uShireen, “Ndandiyenzela wena ndiza kukunika yona ukuzalwa kwakho, kodwa yalahleka phambi kokuba ndiyigqibe.”

U-Amina wanika uShireen uYin’a le. “Owu, Nkosi yam,” watsho uShireen, “ayisentle ngako. Inalo igama?”

“NguYin’a le,” watsho u-Amina, “kwaye uYin’a le udinga umsila.”

Bathe ke, u-Amina noShireen benzela uYin’a le umsila – umsila onoboya otshikizayo! Emva koko u-Amina noShireen bajonga uYin’a le waze yena wabancumela!

“Kunganjani ngesihluthu seenwele zewulu eziphothiweyo entloko?” wabuza uShireen, “kunye

neendletyana ezitsolo? Kodwa ke kufuneka uhambe apha kuba ndisaxakekile kwaye ndisenezinto zam ekufuneka ndizenzile.”

U-Amina wathatha uYin’a le waya naye egumbini lakhe waze wamhlalisa phakathi kuka-Eli noDassie bangqamana noRabbit noMouse. Emva koko uye wenza enye itipoti yeti.

 U-Amina waphunga ikomityi yanye ngokunjalo no-Eli, noDassie, noRabbit kunye noMouse, kodwa uYin’a le yena waphunga iikomityi ezintathu kuba wayenxanwe kakhulu. Kaloku, kwakukudala kakhulu eyilindile kwaye eyibawela iti!