Lalina, liyidliva ngempela, kanti u-Amina wayesecikekile ngalokhu, futhi enesizungu. Akekho noyedwa kubangani bakhe owayekwazi ukuzodlala kanti wonke umuntu osendlini wayematasatasa. Bonke abantu babehlale bematasatasa! Kwakungemnandi ukuba ngomncane kunabo bonke abantu.

U-Amina walala embhedeni wakhe. Wama ngekhanda. Wafaka amaphiko eferi wase eqala ukudansa. U-Amina waphenduka wase ejikajika. Wakhwishiza wase ebhakuza. Waze wenza nomdanso wokugxuma maqede aphenduke. Wase eshaya ungqimphothwe ebuyela embhedeni wakhe. Akukho nokukodwa okwamsiza. Wayesacikekile futhi esazizwa enesizungu.

Ngakho u-Amina wakhipha amathoyizi akhe. Iningi lawo ilawo ayewashiyelwe odadewabo abadala, nebhokisi lamathoyizi nalo wayelishiyelwe yibo. Wabeka u-Eli, uMbila, uNogwaja noGundane embhedeni wakhe. Babezoba nedili lokuphuza itiye uma esethole ithibhothi lakhe.

Wabheka ebhokisini lakhe futhi, kwaba ilapho u-Amina athola khona uKuyini. Wayelele eseyinto abayikhohliwe phansi kubhasikidi onomthungo, ngaphansi kwebhokisi lamathoyizi.

U-Amina waphendula uKuyini ukuze abone ubuso bakhe, kodwa wayengenabo. UKuyini wabantu wayeseyinto abayikhohliwe nje! Wayenesimo esingathi siyindilinga, kodwa wayengenabuso, engenangalo, engenamaphiko, engenamsila, ngishoni nje.

U-Amina wahlalisa uKuyini embhedeni phakathi kuka-Eli noMbila, phambi kukaNogwaja noGundane. Wathola ithibhothi wathela itiye. U-Eli, uMbila, uNogwaja noGundane baqeda itiye labo kungaphelanga nasikhathi, kanjalo no-Amina. Kodwa akubanga njalo kuKuyini. Empeleni wayezophuza kanjani ngoba wayengenamlomo? Ngakho-ke, u-Amina wathatha uKuyini nobhasikidi womthungo wayofuna ugogo wakhe.

“Yini leyo?” kubuza ugogo wakhe.

“UKuyini,” kusho u-Amina. “UKuyini udinga umlomo.”

“Kulungile,” kusho ugogo ka-Amina “kodwa kumele sisheshise, ngimatasatasa kakhulu futhi kusekuningi okumele ngikwenze.”

Ugogo ka-Amina wamsiza wamthungela umlomo kaKuyini, umlomo omuhle omamathekayo.

“UKuyini udinga nekhala futhi,” kusho u-Amina. Kodwa ugogo wakhe wayevele engasamlalele.

U-Amina wayofuna udadewabo ophakathi, uFozia.

“Yini le?’ kubuza uFozia.

“UKuyini,” kusho u-Amina. “UKuyini udinga ikhala.”

“Kulungile,” kusho uFozia, “kodwa kumele sisheshise, ngimatasatasa kakhulu futhi kusekuningi okumele ngikwenze.” UFozia wasiza u-Amina ukuthunga ikhala likaKuyini, ikhala elincane elibheke phezulu.

“Namehlo futhi,” kusho u-Amina. Kodwa, uFozia wayevele engasamlalele. U-Amina wayofuna udadewabo omdala, uShireen.

Esahamba, u-Amina wabonwa uBaba wakhe.

“Yini leyo?” kubuza uBaba wakhe.

“UKuyini,” kusho u-Amina. “UKuyini udinga amehlo.”

“Nginawo,” kusho uBaba wakhe, “kodwa kumele sisheshise, kusekuningi okumele ngikwenze.”

U-Amina noBaba wakhe bathungela amehlo kaKuyini − amehlo ayizinkinobho ezimbili ezinsundu ezikhazimulayo.

“Nomsila futhi,” kusho u-Amina.

“Ngeshwa, angeke ngikwazi ukukusiza ngalokho,” kusho uBaba wakhe.

U-Amina wayofuna udadewabo omdala, uShireen.

“Awu, bakithi,” kusho uShireen, “umthole kuphi?” U-Amina wamtshela. “Kwakuhle!” kusho uShireen. “Ngangimenzela wena ngesikhathi uzelwe, kodwa wangilahlekela ngaphambi kokuba ngimqede.”

U-Amina wanika uShireen uKuyini. “Bantu,” kusho uShireen, “waze wamuhle. Ngabe unalo igama?”

“UKuyini,” kusho u-Amina, “futhi uKuyini udinga umsila.” Ngakho u-Amina noShireen benzela uKuyini umsila − umsila otshikizayo! U-Amina noShireen babuka uKuyini, uKuyini wabamamathekela!

“Kungaba njani abe nezinwele ezigoqene?” kubuza uShireen, “nezindlebe ezicijile? Kodwa-ke kuzomele uhambe ngoba ngimatasatasa futhi kusenezinto zami okumele ngizenze.”

U-Amina wabuyisela uKuyini egumbini lakhe wamhlalisa phakathi kuka-Eli noMbila, phambi kukaNogwaja noGundane. Wase enza itiye elisha ethiphothini.

U-Amina waphuza inkomishi eyodwa kanjalo no- Eli, uMbila, noNogwaja noGundane, kodwa uKuyini wayenxanwe kakhulu ngakho waphuza izinkomishi ezintathu. Phela, wayelinde isikhathi eside kakhulu ukuze athole itiye!