Kwakusanda kuhlwa nje. Umndeni wakwaSmith wawuhleli ngaphandle uthokozela ukunuka kwebhurevosi eyosiwayo.

“Baba! Ngicela usheshise!” kububula uHayley. “Angiseve ngilambi-i-i-le!”

“Thatha-ke!” kusho ubaba wakhe emva kwesikhashana lapho enikeza uHayley amasosishi amabili ebhurevosi asonteke anamathelana. Ayebukeka efana nse nendoda encane.

“Indoda yebhurevosi!” kusho unina, wase ehleka.

UHayley wavula umlomo wakhe ukuze alume kakhulu.

“Ungalokothi!” kukhala izwi elikhulu. “Awukwazi ukungidla!”

UHayley wagxuma wase eyiyeka iNdoda Yebhurevosi.

“Hhayi bo … kanti uyakwazi ukukhuluma!” kungingiza yena.

“Impela ngiyakwazi ukukhuluma!” Indoda encane yasukuma yase izithintitha. “Wena awukwazi ukungidla!”

“Kodwa sengifile yindlala!” kukhononda uHayley.

Indoda Yebhurevosi yababuka kanye abantu abahleli ngaphandle, yase igijima inqamula igceke yashuma ngaphansi kwesango!

“Yibambeni!” kumemeza uHayley.

Umndeni wakwaSmith walandela uHayley ukuyophuma ngesango, bonke base begijima behla ngomgwaqo belandela iNdoda Yebhurevosi. Bedlula omunye umndeni oqhuba inja yawo.

“Niyaphi?” kubuza ubaba.

“Sizama ukubamba iNdoda Yebhurevosi! Sisizeni!” kusho uHayley.

Ngakho umndeni wakwaSmith kanye nalo omunye umndeni nenja yawo bagijima behla ngomgwaqo bezama ukubamba indoda encane.

Lapho bengena emgwaqweni olandelayo, bahlangana nothengisa izithelo egqoke iduku eliluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka elinamaphethini elimboze amakhela (curlers) eplastiki ephinki. UHayley wammemeza emcela ukuthi abasize, kanti nothengisa izithelo wahlanganyela nabo ekujaheni iNdoda Yebhurevosi. Kusenjalo iNdoda Yebhurevosi yaqala ukucula:

“Angeke banginuke,
Noma bangazama kangakanani,
Ngigijima kakhulu kunabo bonke
Njengoba ngigijima!”

“Yehheni!” Othengisa izithelo wacishe wagxuma waphuma esethuke kakhulu lapho kuqhamuka iponi elimahlikihliki lidonsa inqola egexezelayo, liqhuqha emva kwakhe.

“Sijaha leya Ndoda Yebhurevosi,” echazela oqhuba inqola.

“Ningahamba nathi ngekalishi,” kuzinikela yena.

Kusenjalo kwama itekisi ekhoneni. Kwaphuma abantu abayidazini umshayeli wetekisi wayesememeza ngefasitela ethi, “Peninsula Road! Wozani, wozani, asihambeni!”

UHayley waphendukela kuwo wonke umuntu omlandelayo wamemeza ethi, “Sheshani! Bhekani − nansi itekisi!”

“Singagibela etekisini lakho bandla? Sijaha Indoda Yebhurevosi!” uHayley etshela umshayeli wetekisi.

“Yishoni phakathi,” kusho umshayeli wetekisi. “Ngizoyijaha!” Wonke umuntu washo phakathi etekisini, lasho lashosholoza.

Kusenjalo Indoda Yebhurevosi yaqala ukucula elinye iculo:

“Amahhashi namatekisi,
Abantu nezinja,
Ngizowabalekela
La magovu!”

Kungakapheli sikhathi esingakanani bafika eRondevlei. Manje Indoda Yebhurevosi encane yase igijima kancane, nenqola yeponi nayo yase ishaya kancane kanti netekisi nalo lalingasajiki ngamandla emakhoneni. Kodwa bonke baphikelela phambili.

Indoda Yebhurevosi yagijima yangena eRondevlei Nature Reserve, ilandelwa itekisi kanye nenqola emva kwayo.

“Yimani! Akuvunyelwe zimoto lapha!” kumemeza unogada. Wonke umuntu wehla wase exosha Indoda Yebhurevosi egigithekayo.

“Kumele nikhokhe!” kumemeza unogada, kodwa akukho muntu owamzwayo. Ngakho-ke unogada wakhiyela isango wabaxosha.

Wabathola bonke bemi eduze kwechibi elikhulu. Indoda Yebhurevosi yayimemeza imvubu enkulu ithi, “Shesha! Ngisize ngibaleke!”

“Gxumela emhlane wami,” kubhonga imvubu. Kwakubuka wonke umuntu ngesikhathi imvubu enkulu ibhukuda iya ngakolunye uhlangothi lwechibi neNdoda Yebhurevosi emhlane wayo.

Kwathi sebehambe ikota lohambo, imvubu yathi eNdodeni Yebhurevosi, “Uzoba manzi. Yini ungagibeli emqaleni wami?”

Yenza njalo Indoda Yebhurevosi ngesikhathi bewela ichibi.

“Aya ngokujula amanzi! Gibela ekhanda lami!” kumemeza imvubu.

Indoda Yebhurevosi yagibela ekhanda lemvubu. Yathathaza ngokugcona abantu ababesosebeni yase iqala ukucula ithi:

“Amahhashi namatekisi,
Abantu nezinja …”

Ithimba elilambile lagqolozela Indoda Yebhurevosi, kanti kusenjalo lokhu kwashintsha, bavula kakhulu amehlo base bebabaza kakhulu! Indoda Yebhurevosi yaphenduka ukuze ibone ukuthi bagqolozeleni …

Shwi-i! Kusenjalo kwehla inkwazi yagwinya yonke Indoda Yebhurevosi!

“Mamo!” kusho uHayley kalusizi. “Wo, sekuphelile njalo ngesidlo sami sakusihlwa!”