Iminenkhe lebeyihlala engadzeni yaMake Mondliwa beyingakajabuli mbamba.

“NGENELE MANJE!” kukhonona Slimy.

“Nami futsi,” kuvuma Speedy, umngani wakhe lomkhulu. “Kungani tsine minenkhe singatsandvwa kakhulu nguleti letinye tilwanyana tasengadzeni?”

“Ngidziniwe ngiko konkhe lokuphatfwa kabi,” kuchuba Slimy.

“Ya, yini lena lengakalungi ngatsi?” kubuta Speedy.

“Nginembono. Asibiteleni ndzawonye yonkhe iminenkhe bese siyakhonona kuleti letinye tilwanyana,” kwasho Slimy abeka umbono.

“Ngumbono lomuhle kakhulu lowo,” kuvuma Speedy. “Sitawutitjela kutsi kumele kutsi tisitsandze kakhulu.”

Ngakusasa, Speedy naSlimy nayo yonkhe iminenkhe yahlangana ngaphansi kwelihlashana letihlahla temanyeva kutokhuluma naleletinye tilwanyana tasengadzeni.

“Tsine minenkhe sifuna kuhlonishwa,” kwasho Speedy. “Futsi sifuna kutsi nonkhe nisitsandze kakhulu.”

“AWU NGEKE!” kwamemeta Vivane. “Iminenkhe mibi kabi.”

“YEBO!” kwavuma Nyosi. “Iminenkhe ifanele kutsi isuke lapha.”

“Nitintfo letingenamsebenti,” kwengeta Sibungu.

“Kodvwa yini lelembi kangaka lesayenta?” kwabuta Slimy.

“INI! Asewubuke-nje nangu umtfubulela lapha emlenteni wami,” kwacala Ntsetse. “Uyati kutsi ngiwutfole njani? Eminenkheni! Nine minenkhe nibhoca yonkhe lendzawo ngalomfinyila wenu nisibangele kutsi sishelele futsi silimale. Niyati-nje kutsi ishelela kangakanani lentfo yenu?”

“Sibancane kakhulu, siyabhajwa kulomfinyila wenu,” kwengeta Ndlovukati Ntfutfwane.

“Maye babe!” kwasho iminenkhe imangele. “Besingati.”

“Futsi akukapheleli,” kwasho Sibungu. “Niyati kutsi nidala siminyeminye lesinganani lapha endleleni? Nine minenkhe niyanyonyooooba-nje.”

“Futsi akusiko konkhe loko,” kwengeta Vivane. “Ningase nikhawule-nje kudla tonkhe timbali? Nimosha ingadze yetfu lenhle.”

Iminenkhe yeva buhlungu kakhulu. Beyingati kutsi idala tinkinga letiningi kangaka.

Leminenkhe lemincane yeva buhlungu kangangekutsi yacala kukhala.

“Kufanele kutsi kubekhona intfo lenhle ngatsi iminenkhe?” kwasho Slimy abeka umbono.

Leletinye tilwanyana betithulile. Tacabanga futsi tacabanga ngekutsi yini lengabayinhle ngeminenkhe.

Ekugcineni, Vivane watsi, “CHA KUTE! Ncesini, kodvwa nine minenkhe nibabi kakhulu. Kute nayinye intfo lenhle ngani!”

“Ecinisweni sicabanga kutsi yonkhe iminenkhe ifanele iphume lapha engadzeni. Sonkhe tsine labanye vele sesenele!” kwengeta Msundvu, nanoma-nje naye ngekwakhe abeshelela.

“IMINENKHE NGAPHANDLE! IMINENKHE NGAPHANDLE!” letilwanayana tacala tahlabela.

“Manini, manini,” kwasho Slimy. “Sinikeni litfuba.”

“Yebo,” kwasho Speedy. “Sinikeni litfuba, sitanikhombisa kutsi kukhona lokuhle iminenkhe lengakwenta.”

Letilwanyana tacabanga sikhashana. “Kuhle kakhulu-ke,” tavuma. “Ninemalanga lamabili ekusikhombisa kutsi ninemsebenti, noma-ke, hambani kahle!”

Emvakwekuba letilwanyana setihambile tibuyele etindzaweni tato kulengadze, iminenkhe yahlala yacabanga, yaphindze yacabanga.

“Kungaba njani nasingafundza kugijima?” kwasho Speedy abeka umbono.

“Ngumbono lomuhle kakhulu lowo,” kwavuma Slimy. “Buyani minenkhe, sitilolonge sitoba nemitimba lecinile!” Leminenkhe yacitsa lilanga lonkhe itilolonga, kodvwa ngenhlanhla lembi, yatfola kulukhuni kugijima.

“Awu cha!” kwasho umnenkhe lomdzala kunayo yonkhe. “Manje yini? Kumele sivele nembono lotakwenta kutsi leletinye tilwanyana tisitsandze.”

“Ngiyati!” kwasho Slimy. “Ake setame kudla lukhula esikhundleni saletimbali.”

“Kulungile, singahlalelani singenti njalo?” kwavuma leleminye. Ngako-ke leminenkhe yetama kudla lukhula kuphela lapha engadzeni.

“Awu cha, loku kungeke kusebente. Lukhula alunambitseki LUBI KAKHULU! Kwasho Speedy emva kwesikhashana.

Leminenkhe yeva buhlungu kakhulu. Leminye yayo yaze yacala kupakisha emakhaya ayo yalungela kuhamba.

“Yehheni, nginembono,” kwagigitseka Simphiwe, umnenkhe lomncane kunayo yonkhe. “Nginidzinga kutsi nonkhe nihlangane nami etulu esidvulini.”

“Uyahlanya yini? Kutasitsatsa lilanga lonkhe kukhuphuka siyewufika lapha etulu,” kwasho Slimy.

“Ngetsembeni,” kwasho Simphiwe.

Kwendlula emalanga lamabili kwatsi ekugcineni leminenkhe yaphumelela kufika esicongweni sesidvuli. Leletinye tilwanyana tabutsana ngaphansi kwalesidvuli kutewubona kutsi leminenkhe beyicondze kwentani.

“Nyalo-ke, uyini umbono lomkhulu wakho?” ifuna kwati ngemandla.

“Kukahle-ke, mm ...” kwasho Simphiwe.

“Yebo?” kwasho leletinye tilwanyana.

“Ngempela nitasiyekela sihlale uma nibona loko lesikwentile,” kumemetela Simphiwe.

Leletinye tilwanyana tema tangete tanyakata, emehlo ato anamatsele kuSimphiwe.

“Tha-da,” kwasho Simphiwe ahamba acondza kulomehlelo walesidvuli. “Sinakhele simangaliso SAMSHELELETANE LOSHELELA ngalokwendlulele ngawo wonkhe lomfinyela wetfu tsine minenkhe!”

Kwabakhona kuthula sikhatsi lesidze ngesikhatsi tonkhe letilwanyana ticabanga ngalomcondvo.

“KUUUUUHLE-KE LOKO!” tavuma. “Ase siwuve.”

Futsi-ke takwenta loko. Letilwanyana tanikana ematfuba ekushelela tehle kulomsheleletane loshelelako. Kwaba yinjabulo lenkhulu kakhulu. Wonkhe wonkhe wawutsandza lomsheleletane futsi-ke kwase kuncunywa kutsi iminenkhe kufanele ngempela kutsi ihlale kulengadze!