“Khawulezisa, Neo, asinaxesha lininzi!” watsho uHope ebeka phantsi ingxowa yakhe enzima. UHope noJosh babelinde uNeo. Bonke babesiya epakini njengenxenye yesicwangciso sikaHope! UHope wayeqale ukucinga isicwangciso emva kokufunda incwadi entsha umama wakhe awayemthengele yona. Yayingentombazana eyayisindise ngobukroti ilali yayo kwisidalwa esasisoyikeka. UHope wayonwabela incwadi kangangokuba wagqiba ukuyifunda ngosuku wada waphupha ngesidalwa esoyikekayo ngobo busuku!
“Ndiyathemba ukuba loo nto usicwangcisele yona iza kusonwabisa. Kutheni ungxame kangaka nje?” UNeo wabuza uHope njengoko wayevala ucango olungaphambili. UNeo wayenxibe umnqwazi wakhe awuthandayo wabaphangi baselwandle nesicikwana esikhusela iliso. “Andazi nto tu ndiyafana nawe, Neo. UHope ucele nje ukuba ndize nekayiti yam epakini,” watsho uJosh ekhomba ikayiti yakhe. “Ndithembeni, niza kuyonwabela le nto!” watsho uHope ehamba ngaphambili kwabahlobo bakhe. UNeo noJosh balandela, bezama ukungashiyeki. Bathi bakufika epakini, babona usodolophu erhangqwe yinyambalala yabantu. “Kwenzeka ntoni?” uJosh wabuza inkosikazi eyayimi kufutshane.
“Kaloku, ixesha elide, usodolophu ubesoloko efumana izikhalazo kuba kungekho mthunzi waneleyo epakini,” yatsho. “Ngoko ke uqinisekise ukuba kutyalwe imithi emininzi emitsha yaye namhlanje ulapha ukuzovuyisana ngoku nomntu wonke.” “Yho hayi! Ipaka izele kakhulu ukuba isicwangciso sam singasebenza,” watsho uHope, edanile. “Esiphi isicwangciso?” wabuza uNeo noJosh ngaxeshanye, bejongana.
“Nisakhumbula ngebali lentombazana elikroti eyasindisa ilali yayo?” wabuza uHope. “Kaloku, bendinethemba lokuba siza kwenza isidalwa esoyikekayo, sisibophelele kwikayiti kaJosh size sisibhabhise phezu kwepaka. Kodwa jonga ngoku!” watsho uHope ekhomba abantu abonwabileyo berhanqe usodolophu. UNeo wabona indlela uHope awayelusizi ngayo. “Sisicwangciso esihle eso, Hope!” watsho. “Masiye phaya emva kwelaa tyholo likhulu. Akukho mntu uza kusibona phaya.” UJosh noHope banqwala bevumelana baza bahamba.
“Josh, hamba uye kufuna izinti. Neo, khulula umnqwazi wakho wabaphangi baselwandle nesiciko sokukhusela iliso,” wayalela uHope njengoko wayekhupha iimpahla zakhe zekarati nebhaloni kwingxowa yakhe. UJosh wazifumana izinti ezibhityileyo ngasemgqomeni wenkunkuma baza abahlobo abathathu bahlala emva kwetyholo besebenzisa umtya osuka kwingxowa kaHope ukuzoluka ziphambane ukwenza umzimba wesidalwa. Waza uHope wavuthela ibhaloni wayibophelela yenza intloko yesidalwa. Basinxibisa isidalwa iimpahla zikaHope zekarati, nomnqwazi kaNeo wabaphangi baselwandle nesiciko esikhusela iliso. UJosh wasibophelela isidalwa kwikayiti yakhe. Baza balunga!
Abantwana bazimela emva kwetyholo bakhulula intambo yekayiti. Umoya onamandla wasithatha isidalwa wasinyusela esibhakabhakeni. Senyuka, senyuka, senyuka, sibhabha esibhakabhakeni kude nabo. Ngaxesha nye, uBella nomama wakhe babefikile epakini bezokuwakisa uNoodle. Wathi uNoodle akubona isidalwa sijinga esibhakabhakeni, waqalisa ukukhonkotha exhuzula umnxeba wokulawula inja. UBella wazama ukubamba umnxeba wokulawula kaNoodle, kodwa waxhutha kakhulu kangangokuba kwafuneka amyeke. Nanko ebaleka uNoodle enqumla ipaka. UBella nomama wakhe bamleqa.
Saza isidalwa saqala ukundandela ezantsi sibhekise ngakwintloko kasodolophu kanye xa wayesenza intetho yakhe! UNoodle wayebalekela ngakuye esakhonkotha isidalwa – noBella nomama wakhe bengekudanga belandela ngasemva. UJosh wawutsala umtya wekayiti, ezama ukunyusa isidalwa sinyukele esibhakabhakeni, kodwa kwaba sekukade. UNoodle waxhumela isidalwa, wagila usodolophu wamwisa. Amaphetshana anentetho kasodolophu aphaphatheka agcwalisa ipaka, baza abantu baqalisa ukubalekela macala onke.
UNeo, noJosh noHope noBella nomama wakhe babaleka baya kunceda. Bamfumana ephantsi usodolophu ecaleni kwesidalwa noNoodle esasikhonkotha. Abantwana bancedisa ukuzolisa uNoodle logama uBella nomama wakhe babenceda bephakamisa usodolophu.
Waza uHope wacacisa ukuba izicwangciso zakhe zonakele njani. Waphulaphula usodolophu, wathi esakugqiba uHope, wamjonga nje … waza waqalisa ukuhleka. “Kaloku, ngoku ungabhala elakho ibali lesidalwa esoyikekayo,” wacebisa watsho usodolophu.
Nangona isicwangciso sikaHope singazange sisebenze, yayilusuku ababeza kulukhumbula bonke!
