Kudala-dala, kwakukho ibhokhwe eyayihlala Phesheya kweNciba. Kunyaka ngamnye le bhokhwe yayihamba iye ezindulini eziluhlaza kwiinyanga zokuqala zasehlotyeni. Yayisiya apho kuba kwakukuninzi ngakumbi ukutya, ngoko ke ikwazi ukutya kangangoko yayifuna.

Ngelinye ihlobo yahamba yaya ezindulini eziluhlaza apho. Yayisazihambela ngendlela yaza ngephanyazo, phambi kwayo, yabona sekumi ihlosi elikhulu.

“Molo, Nkosazana Bhokhwe,” latsho ihlosi. “Uya phi na?”

“Owu, Mnumzana Hlosi,” yaphendula ibhokhwe, ingcangcazela ukususela entloko ukuya ezinzwaneni ngenxa yoloyiko, “ndisaya nje phaya ezindulini ukuya kufuna ukutya okulungileyo kuzo.”

“Kulungile ke,” latsho ihlosi. “Ndinovelwano ngawe, kodwa ndilambe kakhulu. Ngoko ke, ndithi mandikuxelele ukuba akuyi ndawo! Ndifanele ukukutya kanye ngoku, apha kule ndawo!”

“Owu, Mnumzana Hlosi,” yatsho ibhokhwe. “Ungakwenzi oko. Hayi, hayi, hayi! Ungandityi ngoku. Linda ndide ndetyebe ngokwaneleyo. Linda kude kudlule ihlobo. Ndiya kuba ndityebe ngenene kunangoku ngoko, ke kuya kuba kuninzi ukutya kwakho, kuya kuba kuninzi ngakumbi.”

“Mmmm,” latsho ihlosi. “Luluvo oluhle olo. Kulungile ke, andizi kukutya ngoku, kuphela nje xa unokuthembisa ukuba xa ubuya, siya kudibana apha, kule ndawo kanye.”

Ngoko ke ibhokhwe eyothukileyo yathembisa yaza yahamba indlela yayo. Yathi yakufika ezindulini, yalibala shici ngehlosi. Ngalo lonke ixesha lelo hlobo yayisitya izityalo ezitsha nengca eluhlaza ezindulini apho. Kwathi kudlula ihlobo, yabe ityebe ikhazimla. Liyelafika ke ixesha lokuba izishiye iinduli ezo, igoduke.

Ithe xa iqalisa ukuhamba igoduka, yasikhumbula isithembiso eyayisenze kwihlosi. Ngenyathelo ngalinye eyayilithatha, yaya isoyika ngokoyika. Kungekudala yafika kwindawo eyayithembise ukuba iza kuphinda ihlangane nehlosi kuyo.

“Ndiza kuthini ngoku?” yatsho izibuza ngokukhwaza ibhokhwe.

Kuthe kusenjalo wangcilezela kufutshane umvundla waza wema ukuze ayibulise.

“Molo, Nkosazana Bhokhwe,” watsho. “Ubukeka usempilweni kwaye utyebile, umhle. Kodwa kutheni ukhangeleka ulusizi kangaka nje, ngemini entle kangaka?”

“Owu, Mntakwethu Mvundla,” yatsho ibhokhwe, “ibali lam lilusizi kakhulu. Ndathi xa ndandisiza

apha ekuqaleni kwehlobo, ndadibana nehlosi elikhulu. Lathi liza kunditya. Ndalicenga ukuba lingenzi njalo, ndaze ndathi malilinde ndide ndityebe ngokwaneleyo. Ndalixelela ukuba malilinde kude kudlule ihlobo xa senditye zonke iintlobo zokutya okulungileyo ezindulini.”

“Laze lathini ke?” wabuza umvundla.

“Lavuma ukulinda,” yatsho ibhokhwe, “laze lathi mandidibane nalo kwakuloo ndawo inye xa ndibuya. Ngoku sele ndisondele kule ndawo kwaye ndiyazi ukuba xa linokundibona, liza kunditya!” Yasuka yakhala kakhulu ibhokhwe.

“Sithandwa sam! Ndilusizi torho!” watsho umvundla. “Lilusizi ngenene eli bali lakho. Kodwa ungakhathazeki. Ndinalo icebo. Yekela kum. Linda nje apha.”

Umvundla wabaleka wagoduka. Wafika wanxiba ezona mpahla zawo zintle ngenene. Wathwala umnqwazi omkhulu owawuhonjiswe ngosiba waza wafaka necici elide elijingayo. Wathi ke emva koko wathatha iphepha, ipeni kwakunye nesali encinane, waze wabaleka ebuyela ebhokhweni.

Wakuba ufikile ebhokhweni, wabophelela isali encinane emqolo kuyo waze wayikhwela ngokungathi ukhwele ihashe. Ekugqibeleni bafika kwindawo apho ibhokhwe yayifanele ukuhlangana nehlosi kuyo. Lalilapho ke ihlosi, esiphakathini sendlela, lilindile.

“Ungubani?” wakhwaza umvundla. “Wenzani apha?”

“NdinguMnumzana Hlosi kwaye ndilinde apha ukuze nditye uNkosazana Bhokhwe,” latsho ihlosi, likruqukile. “Besivumelene naye. Khawundixelele kakuhle, kanye-kanye wena ungubani?” “NdinguMnumzana Mvundla mna. Ndithunywe ukuba ndenze umsebenzi obalulekileyo yeyona Nkosi yesiKhundla esiPhezulu, uSingewe, wobukumkani baseAfrika obubona bukhulu. Undicele ukuba ndiqokelele iimfele zamahlosi alishumi njengesipho senkosikazi yakhe entsha. Indlela endinethamsanqa ngayo ukudibana nawe ayithetheki. Ufele lwakho luya kuba luncedo olukhulu.”

Umvundla wakhe wanqumama emva koko waza watsala ipeni yakhe nephepha wabhala phantsi, Enye enkulukazi … Emva koko wema waze wajonga ihlosi.

Ihlosi loyika kakhulu ngenxa yento elaliyiva laze lajika endleleni yalo labalekela ukusindisa ubomi balo.

Yavuya kakhulu ibhokhwe yaze yabulela kumvundla ngokuyisindisa. Emva koko ibhokhwe nomvundla bohlukana. Umvundla wagoduka nebhokhwe yabuyela ekhayeni layo. Yayivuya kakhulu ibhokhwe, lwada lwangathi luyagqithisa uvuyo lwayo, kwaye yangathi ngoku ityebe kakhulu kunangaphambili.