“Hhayi, Thembela” kusho Make. “Umoya uhhusha kakhulu kutsi ungaba ngaphandle. Ngena ngekhatsi utawutfola umkhuhlane.”

Kepha Thembela akalaleli ngoba uyatijabulisa. Tinwele takhe tiyaphakama, tiyaphakama, tiyaphakama, ngetulu kwenhloko yakhe futsi manje setishayisa etindlebeni takhe. Liloko lakhe livakala njengekhayithi futsi Thembela unesiciniseko sekutsi uma afuna, angandiza ahambe − ayoshona esibhakabhakeni.

“Lomoya umnandzi, Make,” uyahleka. “Angifuni kungena ngekhatsi.”

“Kufanele ungene, Thembela,” kuphendvula Make. “Akusikahle lapho − kuyingoti kakhulu.”

Thembela uphakamisa imikhono yakhe futsi utibhula lapha emaceleni uya etulu naphansi njengenyoni. “Kulungile, kulungile,” uyamamatseka. “Ngitawungena ngekhatsi.”

Ngekusho njalo, wazuba. Nango ashona engadzeni futsi utiva sengatsi uyandiza. Umoya utigocotela lapha kuye futsi umfuca indlela yonkhe leya kuMake, lowavala umnyango emvakwakhe.

“Shu, Thembela! Awukadzinwa nguko konkhe lokundiza? Yini ungayi kuyogeza ngemanti lafutfumele bese ucondza ngco embhedzeni.”

Ngesikhatsi Make atewulalisa Thembela, utsi, “Hhayi, Thembela, kuyawube nguwe kuphela umuntfu emhlabeni wonkhe lotsandza umoya.” Ngembi kwekutsi make ahambe, Thembela umcela kutsi avule emakhethini kute kutsi akhone kubona emafu nakantjweza endlula nelingetulu letihlahla natinyikanyika lapha nalapha. Wamanga make wakhe amfisela butfongo lobumnandzi wabese uyalala.

Ngaleyo mphelansontfo, Make kufanele aye edolobheni, ngako-ke kufika Anti Ida.

“Hhawu yehheni,” kusho Anti Ida, kakhulu, “Ngive etindzabeni kutsi kuta sivunguvungu!”

Lonkhe lilanga emafu ahlangana ndzawonye kwate kwaba mnyama. Litulu labese liyacala liyana. Thembela akawakholwanga emehlo akhe. Kungetulu kwaloko lake wakubona futsi masinyane nje kwagcwala tititjana temanti yonkhe indzawo. Kepha Thembela uyahleka. Ugcoka lijazi lakhe lelitulu ubuye futsi ugcoka emagambhudzi futsi nguye loya aphuma.

“Cha, Thembela!” kumemeta Anti Ida. “Ngena ngekhatsi khona manje.”

Kepha Thembela akalaleli ngoba uyatijabulisa kakhulu. Uyahleka ngesikhatsi umoya uhhusha uphuma ejazini lakhe lemvula futsi ukhukhumikisa sigcoko sakhe njengebhaluni. Nangiphakimasa imikhono yami,” uyagigitseka, “Ngingandiza!”

Manje Anti Ida uyagijima uphumela ngaphandle ugcoke tembatfo takhe tekulala letibovana futsi utsatsa Thembela umbuyisa ngekhatsi endlini. “Kute lotsandza umoya,” kusho Anti Ida. “Unemsindvo futsi uyabandza, vele nje awumnandzi.”

Ngesikhatsi Anti Ida eta atewumlalisa, Thembela umcela kutsi amvulele emakhethini kute kutsi akhone kubona tihlahla tinyikanyika nemafu antjweza. Kepha Anti Ida watsi, “Cha! Ngicinisile ngitsi cha, ngiyaphindza futsi ngitsi cha!” Uvala emakhethini. “Manje asetsembe kutsi lendlu angeke ihambe nelitulu,” kusho Anti Ida ngekwesaba.

Thembela uva kudvuma kwelitulu nekushaya kwematfonsi elitulu eluphahleni lwendlu. Manje umoya sewushaya emabondza endlu!” ushaya emnyango ubuye futsi unyikatise emafasitelo. Wehla ngashimela ubanga umsindvo futsi wesabisa Anti Ida kangangoba udzimate ubhaca ngemuva kwabosofa. Luphahla luyafafabuka nemabhodi eluphahla abanga umsindvo netihlahla nato tibanga umsindvo kakhulu.

Anti Ida uyamememta, “Awu nebakitsi, sitawupheshulwa ngumoya sonkhe!” Kepha Thembela akesabi. Uyazuba uphuma embhedzeni futsi uyagijima wehla titebhisi. Masinyane ugcoka emagambhudzi akhe futsi uhlwitsa nesambulelo sakhe, ngekutetsemba lokukhlu uphumela ngaphandle. Umoya uyahhusha kabuhlungu futsi ubanga umsindvo nelitulu liyana nekudvuma kubhadlabula esibhakabhakeni.

“Ngimi, Moya,” kusho Thembela. “Kwentiwa yini utfukutsele kangaka?” Ingabe ucabanga kutsi kute yini lokutsandzako? Manje ungenti bulima. Ubanga umsindvo futsi uyabandza, kodvwa uyangijabulisa kakhulu − futsi ngiyakutsandza. NGIYAKUTSANDZA MOYA!”

Masinyane nje, lokudvuma kwancamuka futsi onkhe lamafu lamnyama ayahamba. Futsi kungakapheli nesikhatsi lesingakanani litulu liyanyamalala. Thembela nakabuka etulu, ubona sibhakabhaka sicwebile. Inyanga igcwele futsi tonkhe tinkhanyenti tiyakhanya. Manje umoya sewuhhusha kamnandzi uyamtungeleta, uphakamisa sambulelo sakhe futsi wanga kamanandzi tihlatsi takhe.

“Ngiyabonga Moya,” kusho Thembela. “Ngiyabonga kutsi ucoshe litulu.”

Manje Thembela uyagucuka futsi uyahamba ubuyela endlini. Usita Anti Ida kutsi aphume ngemuva kwabosofa futsi umentela litiya lelishisako.

“Awu nabakitsi,” kusho Anti Ida, “Angiwutsandzi nani nani umoya.” Kepha Thembela uyamamatseka.