“Yenza msinya Neo, asinasikhathi!” kutjho uHope abeka isikhwama sakhe esibudisi phasi. UHope banoJosh bebalindele uNeo. Boke bebaya ephageni njengokweqhinga likaHope!

UHope besele athome ukutlama iqhinga ngemva kokufunda incwadi etja ayithengelwe ngunina. Beyiphathelene nomntazana obenesibindi sokuphephisa indawo yekhabo esilwaneni esithusako. UHope wayithabela incwadi le kangangoba waqeda ukuyifunda ngelanga linye, wabe wabhudanga ngesilwana esithusako leso ebusuku lobo!

“Ngiyathemba bona lokho osihlelele khona kuzosithabisa. Kubayini urhabe kangaka?”kubuza uNeo kuHope lokha nakavala umnyango wangaphambili. UNeo bekathwele ingwani yakhe yephayirethi ayithandako nepetjhi yokuvala ilihlo.

“Angazi litho njengawe, Neo. UHope sewangibawa bona ngize nekhayithi yami ephageni,” kutjho uJosh akhomba ikhayithi yakhe.“Ngithembani, nizokuthabela lokhu!” kutjho uHope asuka akhamba phambi kwabangani bakhe. UNeo noJosh balandela, bazama ukukhambisana naye.

Lokha nabafika ephageni, babona usodorobho abhodwe siqubuthu esikhulu sabantu. “Kwenzakalani?” UJosh wabuza umma ogade ajame eduze.

“Sekusikhathi eside usodorobho athola iinghonghoyilo ezinengi ngombana akunamthunzi owaneleko ephageni,” kwatjho umma loyo. “Ngalokho-ke, waqinisekisa bona imithi eminengi emitjha iyatjalwa, manje namhlanjesi ulapha kobana azokugidinga lokhu nomuntu woke.”

“Afeke! Iphaga izele khulu kobana iqhinga lami lingasebenza,” kwatjho uHope, adanile.“Qhinga bani?” kwabuza uNeo banoJosh ngasikhathi sinye, baqalane.

“Uyayikhumbula indatjana engiyifundileko emayelana nomntazana onesibindi owasindisa indawo yekhabo?” kubuza uHope. “Alo-ke, benginethemba lokobana singenza isilwana esithusako, sisibophelele ekhayithini kaJosh bese sisiphaphisa ngehla kwephaga. Kodwana manjesi qalani!” kutjho uHope akhomba abantu abathabileko abajame babhode usodorobho.

UNeo wabona bonyana uHope udane kangangani. “Liqhinga elihle, Hope!” watjho njalo. “Asikhambeni siyengehlapha ngemva kwehlathi elikhulu lela. Akekho ozasibona laphaya.” UJosh noHope bavumelana ngeenhloko bakhamba.

“Josh, khamba uyokufuna iingojwana. Neo, thula ingwanakho yephayirethi nepetjhakho yokuvala ilihlo leyo.” kulayela uHope lokha nakakhupha izambatho zakhe zekarati nebhamuza ngebhegeni yakhe.

UJosh wathola iingojwana ezidweni eduze nomgqomu weenzibi, abangani abathathu laba bahlala ngemuva kwehlathi basebenzisa intambo yebhege kaHope ukubopha iingojwana ngokuziphambanisa ukwenza isibumbeko somzimba wesilwana. UHope wavuthela ibhamuza wayibophelela esigojwaneni njengehloko yesilwana.

Bavunulisa isilwana lesi izambatho zikaHope zekarati nengwani kaNeo yephayirethi nepetjhi yokuvala ilihlo. UJosh wabophelela isilwana lesi kukhayithi yakhe. Bese bazilulungiselele!

Abantwana laba babhaca ngemuva kwehlatjhana base batjhaphulula intambo yekhayithi. Ummoya omkhulu waphephula isilwana saya phezulu emkayini. Saphakama, saphakama, saphakama saya phezulu, siphephuka emkayini kude nabo.

Ngesikhathi leso, uBella nonina besele bafikile ephageni bazokukhambisa uNoodle. Lokha uNoodle nakabona isilwana siphephezela emmoyeni, wathoma wakhonkotha adosa intambo abotjhwe ngayo. UBella wazama ukukakarela intambo ebophe uNoodle, kodwana wadosa ngamandla okwabangela bona uBella ayilise intambo. Nanguya uNoodle athuwelela aratha ephageni. UBella nonina bagijima ngemuva kwakhe.

Isilwana sathoma saphephukela phasi ngehla kwehloko kasodorobho lokha nakasathula ikulumo yakhe! UNoodle wagijimela ngenca kasodorobho akhonkotha isilwana – noBella banonina bebangasikude noNoodle.

UJosh wadosa intambo yekhayithi, azama ukusa isilwana phezulu emkayini, kodwana kwabe sele kulada. UNoodle weqela isilwana, watjhayisa usodorobho. Amaphetjhana anekulumo kasodorobho aphapha azala iphaga, abantu babaleka batjhinga emahlangothini woke.

UNeo, uJosh, uHope, uBella nonina bagijima bayokusiza. Bathola usodorobho awele phasi eduze nesilwana, uNoodle wabasolo akhonkotha isilwana. Abantwana basiza ukuthulisa uNoodle lokha unina kaBella asiza usodorobho ukuphakama.

UHope wase uhlathulula iqhinga lakhe nokobana batjhaphe nakuza kuphi. Usodorobho walalela, lokha uHope sele aqedile, wamane wamqala … wathoma wahleka. “Nje-ke, sewungatlola yakho indatjana emayelana nesilwana esithusako,” kwatjho usodorobho abeka umbono.

Nanoma iqhinga likaHope lingazange liphumelele kuhle, kwabalilanga abazalikhumbula boke!