Kwakusandul’ ukutshona ilanga. Usapho lakwaSmith lwaluhleli phandle lonwabele ivumba lesoseji eyayisojiwa.

“Tata! Nceda ukhawulezise!” wakhalaza uHayley. “Ndilambe kakhu-u-u-u-lu mna!”

“Nantso ke!” watsho utata wakhe emva komzuzwana lo gama anika uHayley amaqathana amabini aphithanisiweyo esoseji. Ayekhangeleka ngathi yindodana encinane.

“Indodana yesoseji!” watsho umama wakhe ehleka.

UHayley wakhamisa elungiselela ukuyinkamfula kakhulu ngamazinyo.

“Ungakhe ulinge!” kwatsho ilizwi elingqokolayo. “Awukwazi tu ukunditya!”

UHayley waxhuma wayiyeka Indodana yeSoseji.

“U … u-uyathetha kanti!” uthintithe njalo.

“Ewe ndiyakwazi kakade ukuthetha!” Indodana encinane yaphakama yazivuthulula. “Kwaye awukwazi nje tu ukunditya!”

“Kodwa ndilambile nje!” wakhalaza uHayley.

Indodana yeSoseji yalunguza ijonga wonke umntu owayehleli phandle, yaze yabaleka yanqumla eyadini yaya kuthubeleza elucingweni ukuze iphumele ngaphaya kwamasango!

“Bamb’ apho!” wahlaba umkhosi uHayley.

Usapho lakwaSmith lwalandela uHayley luphuma esangweni, lwaze lwabaleka luleqa Indodana yeSoseji. Badlula kolunye usapho olwaluwakisa inja yalo.

“Niyaphi?” kwabuza utata.

“Sizama ukubamba Indodana yeSoseji! Sincediseni!” watsho uHayley.

Ngoko ke, usapho lakwaSmith kunye nolunye olu usapho kwakunye nenja yalo babaleka behla ngendlela bezama ukuba le ndodana ingasitheli emehlweni abo.

Xa bejikela, bengena kwisitalato esilandelayo, bahlangana nomthengisi weziqhamo enxibe iqhiya eluhlaza ehonjisiweyo neyayigqume iirolo ezipinki zeplastiki ezaziphothe iinwele zakhe. UHayley wamkhwaza ukuba abancede waze umthengisi weziqhamo wangenelela naye ekusukeleni Indodana yeSoseji. Kanye ngelo xesha Indodana yeSoseji yaqalisa ukucula:

“Soze bandifumane,
Nokuba bangazama kangakanani,
Ndinamendu kunabo
Ndiyagqotsa ke mna!”

“Iyho! Yho!” Umthengisi ziqhamo wothuka waphantsa ukubhubha akubona inqwelwana egoqozayo netsalwa lihashe elimdaka ngebala isiza emva kwakhe.

“Sisukela laa Ndodana yeSoseji,” wacacisela umqhubi wenqwelo.

“Ningakhwela nonke apha enqwelweni,” yacebisa yatsho le ndoda.

Ngokulandelayo kwamisa iteksi ngasekoneni. Kwaphuma abantu abalishumi elinesibini waze umqhubi wakhwaza ekrobe ngefestile, “Abaya ePeninsula Road! Yizani, khwelani masihambeni!”

UHayley waguquka wajonga kuye wonke umntu owayemlandela wakhwaza, “Khawulezani! Jongani – iteksi!”

“Ungasinceda usikhwelise eteksini yakho? Sisukela Indodana yeSoseji!” uHayley wamxelela oko umqhubi weteksi.

“Khwelani,” watsho umqhubi. “Ndiza kunisukelisa ngenqwelo le!” Wonke umntu wazinyanzela apho eteksini baze bahamba.

Kwesi sithuba Indodana yeSoseji yaqalisa ukucula enye ingoma:

“Amahashe neeteksi,
Abantu nezinja,
Mna ndiza kuphuncuka
Kubo bonke oobawashe!”

Kungekudala bonke bafika eRondevlei. Ngoku noko Indodana yeSoseji encinane yayisele ibaleka ngesantya esisezantsi, ihashe lalitsala ngokucothayo kwaye neteksi yayingasatswinisi amavili xa ijika ekoneni ngenxa yesantya esiphezulu. Kodwa bonke babesaqhubeka nokuya phambili.

Baya kungena emyezweni iRondevlei Nature Reserve, Indodana yeSoseji encinane isabaleka, kwaye iteksi nenqwelo zilandela ngasemva kumganyana ongephi.

“Yima! Izithuthi azivunyelwa ukungena apha!” ukhwaze watsho unogada. Wonke umntu wehlika baza babaleka ukuya kungena esangweni beleqisa emva kweNdodana yeSoseji eyayizihlekela.

“Kufuneka nihlawule!” wakhwaza unogada, kodwa akukho namnye owamvayo. Ngoko ke, unogada watshixa isango waza wabasukela.

Wabafumana bonke bemi ngasemgxobhozweni. Indodana yeSoseji yayikhwaza ithetha nemvubu, “Khawuleza! Ndincede undibalekise!”

“Tsibela apha kum emqolo,” yagquma imvubu. Wonke ubani wayebukele lo gama imvubu idada isiya kwelinye icala lomgxobhozo ibeleke Indodana yeSoseji emqolo.

Bathe xa sele bemalunga nekota yomgama wokuwela, yathi imvubu kwiNdodana yeSoseji, “Uza kubamanzi. Kutheni ungenyuki nje uhlale apha entanyeni yam?”

Indodana yeSoseji yenza njalo baze baqhubeka nokuwela emgxobhozweni.

“Kuya kusiba nzulu apha emanzini! Khwela uhlale apha entlokweni yam!” yatsho imvubu.

Indodana yeSoseji yatsiba yahlala kwintloko yemvubu. Yawangawangisa ngetshiki kubo bonke abantu ababemi ecaleni komgxobhozo yaqalisa ukucula:

“Amahashe neeteksi,
Abantu nezinja…”

Iqela labantu abalambileyo lalijamele ngodano Indodana yeSoseji, kodwa oko kujama kwabo kwaguquka ngephanyazo, batweza amehlo, bathi nkebe imilomo! Indodana yeSoseji yaguquka ifuna ukuqonda ukuba bakhwanqiswe yintoni na …

Swahla! Kanye ngelo xesha ukhozi lwehla lwayithi bimbilili Indodana yeSoseji xa iyonke!

“Owu, yhini na!” watsho uHayley elusizi. “Naso ke sisimka isidlo sam sangokuhlwa!”