UOlwethu, ingwane, wayephumle kudini lwelitye elikwidama elikhulu elikufutshane nolwandle. Wayesoyika. Wayeqala ukuba kude kangaka nedama lakowabo elikuqaqa lolwandle. Wayesoloko eziva ekhuselekile kuqaqa lolwandle, ekude lee nonxweme kunye nabantu. Kodwa kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ezidluleyo, umza wakhe, uOscar, wayeye wamcela umngeni ukuba ahambe naye baye kubuka amadama akufutshane nonxweme abaqubha kulo abantu. “Indikruqule le ndawo. Ndifuna ukukhe ndibone ezinye iindawo. Masiqubhe kunye, Olwethu,” watsho.
UOlwethu wayemcengile ukuba bangahambi, kodwa uOscar wayengammameli ibe wayesoloko esenza into ayifunayo. Ngoku, wayesele eneentsuku emkile. Yiloo nto uOlwethu wayegqibe kwelokuba aye kumkhangela. Wamkhangela wada waya kufika kweli dama likufutshane nonxwebe abaqubha kulo abantu apho, ekugqibeleni, wafumana izilo zaselwandle ezazingamxelela ukuba kwenzeke ntoni kuOscar. “Ebethanda ukwazi kakhulu kodwa naye,” yatsho istarfish ilusizi. Ii-sea anemone zawangazelisa iingalo zazo zivumelana nayo, “Simlumkisile ukuba alumkele izinto ezimibalabala ezidangazela emanzini,’ zatsho.
Unonkala wohlobo lwehermit wakhupha intloko yakhe eqokobheni wathi, “Umlobi uvuye gqitha akubambisa ingwane.” UOlwethu waba buhlungu kakhulu. Kwakuza kufuneka abuyele kwidama lakowabo eyedwa. Kuthe, esaqubha njalo phantsi kodini, ecinga ngendlela amkhumbula ngayo uOscar, ngesiquphe weva amazwi abantu. Uthe uOlwethu xa ekroba, wabona intombazanana, umama wayo nomakhulu wayo eludinini lwedama. Babejonge phantsi emanzini. Njengoko uOlwethu wayentywila etshona phantsi kodini, weva umakhulu ekhwaza, “Viwe, jonga, nantsiya ingwane! Uyayibona phantsi kodini?” UOlwethu wakhawuleza watshintsha umbala ukuze afane namatye nokhula lwaselwandle olumngqongileyo. Kodwa uViwe wayembhaqile. “Ewe! Jonga, ndicinga ukuba izama ukuzifihla,” watsho, esalatha kwindawo awayekuyo uOlwethu.
Uthe akukhumbula into eyayenzeke kuOscar, uOlwethu wagqiba kwelokuba abalekele kwindawo ekhuselekileyo. Wathi tshe, waphuma phantsi kodini waya kuzifihla kwikhusi lelitye elikhudlwana. Kodwa into eyamothusa wabanda kukuba, le ntombazanana yaqubha emanzini yaza yahlala phezu kwelo litye likhulu kanye phezu kwendawo uOlwethu awayezifihle kuyo. Le ntombazana yayiphethe into enemibala eqaqambileyo esandleni, kodwa uOlwethu wayengayazi ukuba yintoni.
UOlwethu kwakukudala wayithanda imibala eqaqambileyo. Idama lakhe kuqaqa lwaselwandle lwalubhanyabhanya yimibala. Lwalunee-anemone ezibomvu, ii-chitin ezimenyezelayo, ukhula lwaselwandle oluluhlaza nee-starfish ezininzi ezintle. UOlwethu wayeyiqonda indlela uOscar atsalwe ngayo yiflowuti emibalabala eyayisetyenziswe ngabalobi ukuze bambame.
Ekulo ndawo azifihle kuyo uOlwethu wabona le nto ipinki iqaqambileyo ingena emanzini ize idlule kuye. Engacinganga, ngobunono wayibhijela ngenye yeengalo zakhe waza, xa kungenzeki nto, waqalisa ukuyibhijela nangenye ingalo. Emva koko weva intombazanana ikhwaza, “Jonga, Mama, ingwane ibambe isnorkel sam.” UOlwethu wothuka kangangokuba wayiqinisa le nto. Intombazanana yolula ingalo yasibamba isnorkel sayo. Ithe yakuva ukuba kukho into esitsalayo, le ntombazanana nayo yasitsala. “Mama, ingwane ayifuni kusiyeka isnorkel sam!” watsho uViwe, eqalisa ukuphakuzela.
“Yhoo,” ngesiquphe wacinga watsho uOlwethu, “Nam ndenza ubudenge obenziwe nguOscar! Ukuba andilumkanga, nam ndiza kubanjiswa!” Ngokukhawuleza, wayiyeka le nto. Isnorkel sapoqa emanzini, noViwe waphantsa wawa elityeni aye kutshona ngomva emanzini. UMakhulu wahleka, “Unethamsanqa nyhani, Viwe. Ubone ingwane waza waphantsa wayibambisa!” “Ewe,” watsho uViwe enemincili, “nengwane iphantse yasithatha isnorkel sam!” Ndisinde cebetshu apha, wacinga uOlwethu njengoko wayeqalisa ukuqubha abuyele kwidama lakowabo kuqaqa lwaselwandle.
Njengoko wayefunxa amanzi aze awatshice, kungekudala wayesenza amatshe emanzini esiya kude nengozi. Xa emgama, weva ilizwi likamakhulu kaViwe lisithi, “Yho! Khawujonge la ngwane indlela ehamba ngayo, Viwe! Ibaleka emanzini ngathi yinqwelomoya ibhabha esibhakabhakeni.” Kodwa uOlwethu akazange eme ukuze eve into eyathethwa nguViwe. Phofu, akazange ayeke ukuqubha de wafika kwindawo ekhuselekileyo kuqaqa lwaselwandle.
Yenza ibali linike umdla!
- Wakha waluthatha uhambo lokuya kubuka indawo? Waziva njani? Ngoba?
- Zoba umfanekiso wengwane. Ingwane iyakwazi ukutshintsha imibala! Ngoko ungayifaka umbala okanye iphatheni ebangela umdla.
- Yenza ipowusta yoMntu Olahlekileyo. Zoba umfanekiso walo mntu ulahlekileyo uze ubhale igama, ubudala nengcaciso yokuba unjani ngezantsi komfanekiso.
