Kwake kwaba khona intfombatana ligama layo bekunguZimkhitha beyihleka ingacedzi. Bekamtfukutselisa babe wakhe. Ngalelinye lilanga bekamhambisa ngemoto asuka esikolweni amyisa ekhaya. Watsi nakefika lapho kucala khona umgwaco loya ekhaya, bekasenele! Wemisa imoto.

“Utawuyekela kuhleka noma utawuhamba ngetinyawo uye ekhaya?” wabuta. Kepha Zimkhitha wavele nje wahleka kakhulu.

“Kulungile,” washo, “hamba ngetinyawo uye ekhaya.” Wamehlisa emotweni wachubeka washayela imoto waya ekhaya.

“Uphi Zimkhitha?” kwabuta make wakhe ngesikhatsi babe wakhe angena emnyango wangembili. “Ngipheka kudla lakutsandzako kwantsambama”

“Awu nebakitsi!,” kwasho babe wakhe. “Ngitsite akahambe ngetinyawo kusuka lapha ekhoneni ngoba ahleka angacedzi.”

“Umntfwanani loligugu kangaka?” kumemeta make waZimkhitha. “Uhambise umntfwanani loligugu kangaka ngetinyawo kuta ekhaya? Yedvwana nje? Kuncongo sihambe siyomfuna.” Bamfuna bamfuna, kepha bekute luphawu lwaZimkhitha.

“Umshiyephi?” kwabuta Make. “Uphi, Ron?”

“Awu nebakitsi,” kwasho babe waZimkhitha, abuka kuwo onkhe emahlatsi nasetulu kuto tonkhe tihlahla.

“Zimkhitha!” kwamemeta make wakhe. “Ukuphi?”

Lomunye make wemisa imoto yakhe. “Nginganisita yini?” wabuta.

“Silahlekelwe yintfombatanyana yetfu,” kwasho make waZimkhitha. “Ingabe umbonile?”

Lomake washayela imoto yakhe wajikeleta ibhlokhi wabese ubuyisa umbiko, “Ngibone likati lelimnyama, inja lemtfubi, nendvodza itsengisa bhanana. Kepha kute intfombatanyana lengiyibonile.”

Babe waZimkhitha wabuka etulu, nango Zimkhitha, antanta etulu, etulu esibhakabhakeni ngetulu kwabo, njengebhaluni lenkhulu lebovana.

“Hhawu yehheni bo!” kwekhuta Make. “Ufike njani khona lapha?”

Lomake lonemusa wagcolotela sibhakabhaka, abuka Zimkhitha antanta emafini. “Ingabe … uyahleka?” wabuta.

“Zimkhitha uhlala njalo ahleka,” kwasho make nababe wakhe kanyekanye. “Asikwati kumyekelisa. Lalela.” Kusuka etulu, etulu esibhakabhakeni luhleko lwaZimkhitha lwehlala phansi luncenceta njengensimbi lencane.

“Hhayi bo!” kumamemeta make wakhe, ashwila tandla takhe. “Kungenteka aweleelwandle.”

“Noma, etukwelihlatsi letimbali terozi,” kwabubula babe wakhe.

“Ngingusosayensi,” kwasho lomake lonemusa, “yinye yetintfo lesitifundzako kutsi umoya uyantanta. Kungenteka kutsi ugwinye umoya lomnyenti ngesikhatsi ahleka kangangoba sewuntanta njengebhaluni.”

“Hhawu, hhawu, hhawu?” kwakhala batali baZimkhitha.

“Yinye kuphela indlela lesingamehlisa ngayo,” kwasho lomake lolungile. “Kuifanele kutsi simente akhale.”

“Awu nebakitsi,” kwasho make wakhe. “Loko akusilula. Ungumntfwana lohlala njalo agigitseka.”

“Kufanele simemete simtjele intfo lembi kakhulu,” kwasho babe waZimkhitha, akhala abibitsekela edukwini lakhe lekutesula.

“Sidzinga bantfu labanyenti labatawumememta kanye kanye,” kwasho lomake. “Angeke asive tsine nje sisobatsatfu.” Ngako-ke bashaya tonkhe tinsimbi teminyango, bacela kutsi bonkhe bantfu baphumele ngaphandle. Babe waZimkhitha wemisa tonkhe timoto futsi wacela wonkhe muntfu kutsi ete abasite. Masinyane nje besekubutsene sicuku sebantfu lesikhulu, futsi bebakhomba, bakhweba batsebula lifilimu ngaZimkhitha ngabomakhalekhikhini babo.

Zimkhitha wahleka, wahleka. Bekuyintfo lebeyimhlekisa kakhulu langakate asayibone.

“Yini lesingayisho letawumenta akhale?” kwabuta lomake lonemusa.

“Ngiyati!” kwasho babe waZimkhitha, wabese uyabatjela kutsi batsini.

“Kunye, kubili, kutsatfu, sonkhe kanyekanye … kwasho lomake lolungile.

Ngalawo mavi, lesicuku sakhomba esibhakabhakeni futsi samemeta satsi, “Hheyi wena, Zimkhitha! Sibona ngaphansi kweliloko lakho!” Khona lapho etulu esibhakabhakeni Zimkhitha wabeva. Wabuka phansi wabona bantfu labangemakhulu lasihlanu bakhomba liloko lakhe, wabese uyayekela kuhleka.

Wantanta wehla. Kepha watsi lapho ehla, emafu amkitalakita, wabese ucabanga kutsi kumnandzi kangakanani kubasetulu kangaka abe wonkhe umuntfu alapha phansi. Waphindze wacala wahleka.

“Awu nebakitsi,” kwasho babe wakhe. “Loko akusebentanga.”

Ngiyati! kwasho make wakhe. “Mtjele kutsi sibona iphenti yakhe lenemacabhacabha.”

Ngako-ke lesicuku saphefumula kakhulu sabese simememta ngawo onkhe emandla aso, “Hheyi wena, Zimkhitha! Sibona iphenti yakho lemacabhacabha!”

Zimkhitha wayekela kuhleka futsi wehla masinyane emamitha langemashumi lasihlanu. Kepha watsi nakabona timoto letinyenti timile nebantfu be-TV netinkhulungwane tebantfu timbukela, wacala wahleka futsi. Waphindze wabuyela emuva futsi.

Lomake lonemusa wanikina inhloko yakhe. “Kutawudzingeka kutsi sitsi kuba nelunya kakhudlwana,” washo ngekugcizelela. “Nanoma kunini manje umoya utawumbamba, futsi utawuntanta ahambe ulomphelo. Yini leningacabanga kuyisho kuye?”

Bonkhe bahlanganisa tinhloko tabo ndzawonye babese bayacabanga, bacabanga, bacabanga. Ekugcineni bakutfola.

“Bonkhe kanyekanye,” kwamemeta babe waZimkhitha, eme etukweMercedes Benz. “Bonkhe bamemeta ngawo onkhe emandla abo, kanyekanye.”

Sonkhe sicuku sebantfu labatinkhulungwane letine, nalenja lemtfubi, nelikati lelimnyama, nalendvodza lebeyitsengisa bhanana bamememta kanyekanye, “HHEYI WENA ZIMKHITHA! SIBONA IPHENTI YAKHO, FUTSI INEMBOBO!”

Zimkhitha wayekela kuhleka.

Wehla weta. Wehla, wehla, wehla. Wehlela phansi kakhulu, kakhulu, kakhulu, kwate kwaba ngulapho asacishe aphansi emhlabatsini.

“Mntfwanami loligugu!” kwamemeta make wakhe, ambamba ngemilente yakhe futsi amdvonsela Emhlabeni. “Siyabonga, uphephile!”

Zimkhitha wabuka lesicuku sebantfu lebesibongelela futsi sihleka sibuye sishaye netandla. Wativa anemahloni kangangobe wavala emehlo akhe wabaleka waya ekhaya.

“Awu nebakitsi,” kwasho babe wakhe. “Simephule umoya. Utfukutsele kakhulu.”

Bantfu baphindze futsi bahlanganisa tinhloko tabo ndzawonye bacabanga ngentfo lelungile lebebangayisho kumenta kutsi ajabule.

“Bakanye kanye futsi,” kwamemeta make wakhe.

Bamemeta batsi, “HHEYI WENA, ZIMKHITHA! BESIDLALA!”

Zimkhitha wayekela kugijima.

“SIYAKWETSEMBISA!” bamemeta bonkhe kanye kanye. “BESINGAYIBONI IPHENTI YAKHO, NGOBA BEWUGCOKE LIBHULUKO LELIBOVANA!”

Zimkhitha waphindza futsi wacala kuhleka.

“Hhawu, mbambe masinyane,” kwamememta make wakhe.

Futsi benta njalo. Ngesikhatsi lesifanele.