“Sheshisa, Neo, site sikhatsi lesinyenti!” kwasho Hope abeka phansi sikhwama sakhe lesisindzako. Hope naJosh bebamele Neo. Bonkhe bebaya epaki njengeluhlelo lwaHope!Hope wacala kucabanga ngelisu lelitsite ngemva kwekufundza lencwadzi lensha labekamtsengele yona make wakhe. Beyingentfombatana lebeyisindzise ngebuchawe ummango wakubo lolidolobhana esilwaneni lesesabisako. Hope bekayijabulele lencwadzi kangangobe wayifundza wayicedza ngelilanga waphindze futsi waphupha ngalesilwane lesesabisako ngalobo busuku!

“Ngiyetsemba kutsi loku losihlelele kona kutawusijabulisa. Kungani ujake kangaka?” Neo wabuta Hope nakavala sivalo semnyango sangembili. Neo bekagcoke sigcoko sakhe semaphayirethi lasitsandzako sekuvala liso langanhlanye.“Nami angati lutfo njengawe, Neo. Hope uvele wangicela kutsi ngite nekhayithi yami epaki,” kwasho Josh akhomba ikhayithi yakhe.

“Ngetsembeni, nitakujabulela loku!” kwasho Hope ngesikhatsi ahamba embi kwebangani bakhe. Neo naJosh balandzela, betama kumkhandza.Nabefika epaki, babona sodolobha atungeletwe sicuku lesikhulu sebantfu. “Kwentekani?” Josh wabuta make lobekamile eceleni.

“Kahle hle, sesikhatsi lesidze, sodolobha atfole tikhalo letinyenti ngoba bekute umtfunti lowenele lapha epaki,” kwasho lomake. “Ngako-ke, wenta siciniseko sekutsi kuhlanyelwa tihlahla letinyenti letinsha futsi namuhla ulapha kutobungata loku akanye nabo bonkhe.”“Awu cha! Lepaki igcwele kakhulu kutsi lelisu lami lingasebenta,” kwasho Hope, ajabhile.

“Liphi lisu?” kwabuta Neo naJosh kanye kanye, babukana.“Niyayikhumbula lendzaba lengayifundza lebeyikhuluma ngentfombatana lenesibindzi leyasindzisa ummango wakubo lolidolobhana?” kwabuta Hope. “Kahle hle, bengetsemba kutsi besingenta silwanyana lesesabekako, sisibophele kulekhayithi yaJosh bese sisiphaphisa etikwalepaki. Kodvwa manje bukani!” kwasho Hope akhomba labantfu labajabulile labeme batungeleta sodolobha.

Neo wabona kutsi ulusizi njani Hope. “Lisu lelihle lelo, Hope!” kwasho yena. “Asambeni siye lapha ngemuva kwalela hlatsi lelikhulu. Kute namunye lotasibona lapha.” Josh naHope bavuma ngetinhloko base bayahamba baya khona.“Josh, wena hamba uyofuna tindvuku. Neo, khumula lesigcoko sakho semaphayirethi nesichibi sekuvala liso langahlanye,” kwasho Hope akhipha timphahla takhe tekarati nebhaluni esikhwameni sakhe.Josh watfola tindvuku letincama eceleni kwemgcoma wetibi futsi labangani labatsatfu bahlala emuva kwalelihlatsi basebentisa intsambo lephume esikhwameni saHope kutibopha ndzawonye time njengesiphambano tente umtimba walesilwanyana. Hope wabese ufutsa lebhaluni wase uyibophela kuto tenta inhloko yalesilwanyana.

Bagcokisa lesilwanyana timphahla taHope tekarati kanye nesigcoko saNeo nesichibi sekuvala liso langanhlanye. Josh wabophela lesilwane kukhayithi yakhe. Ngaleso sikhatsi besebalungele!

Labantfwana babhaca ngemuva kwalelihlatsi base bacekisa lentsambo yekhayithi. Kwavela umoya lonemandla watsatsa lesilwanyana wasiphaphisela etulu esibhakabhakeni. Etulu, etulu, etulu sahamba, sigijima esibhakabhakeni khashane nabo.Ngaleso sikhatsi, Bella namake wakhe bese bafikile lapha epaki batohambisa Noodle. Ngesikhatsi Noodle abona lesilwanyana silenga esibhakabhakeni, wacala kusikhonkhotsa kulelibhande lakhe. Bella wetama kulibambisisa lelibhande laNoodle, kodvwa wadlutfula kamatima kangangoba wabese uyaliyekela. Wesuka wahamba Noodle wancamula ipaki. Bella namake wakhe bagijima ngemuva kwakhe.

Manje lesilwanyana sacala kuntanta phansi sicondze enhloko yasodolobha njengoba abesatfula inkhulumo yakhe! Noodle bekagijima acondze kuye solo akhonkhotsa lesilwanyana – naBella namake wakhe bebangekho khashane ngemuva.Josh wadvonsa lentsambo yekhayithi, etama kutsi lesilwanyana siphakame siye etulu esibhakabhakeni, kodvwa bese kwephutekile. Noodle wazubela lesilwanyana, washayisa losodolobha wawa. Emaphepha lanenkhulumo yasodolobha, andiza yonkhe ipaki, nebantfu bacala bagijima babaleka ngato tonkhe tindlela.

Neo, Josh, Hope, Bella namake wakhe bagijimela kuyosita. Batfola losodolobha aphasi eceleni kwalesilwanyana naNoodle solo asikhonkhotsa. Labantfwana basita kubindzisa Noodle ngesikhatsi make waBella asita losodolobha kutsi aphakame.

Hope wabese-ke uchaza ngalelisu lakhe nekutsi lonakele njani. Losodolobha walalela, watsi uma sekacedzile Hope, wamane wambuka nje … wabese ucala kuhleka. “Kuhle-ke, manje sewungabhala yakho indzaba ngesilwanyana lesisabisako,” losodolobha wabeka umbono.

Noma nje lisu laHope alizange lisebenta kahle, kwaba lilanga labayolikhumbula bonkhe!