Kusemini yeSabatha. UThemba uhleli egcekeni kubo, noLihle umfowabo. Bahleli kodwa izinkomo azibuyile emaqeleni. UThemba useqala ukuqina ebunsizweni kanti mase kumele kulandwe izinkomo. Kuyaye kubhekwe kuLihle ahambe azilande, kodwa namuhla bahamba bobabili ngesizathu sokuthi izulu lihlome limnyama.
Bathe bephuma, wayevelile uyise ebabuka ngewindi, ebhince ithawula. Wezwa efikelwa ukwesaba uma ebona amadodana akhe ephuma limnyama lihlomile. Wakhuluma yedwa uyise ethi, “MaNtungwa amahle, ngeke ningilahle ngezinsizwa zami”. Ngaleso sikhathi, UThemba wayehamba ephikelele phambili eza noLihle ngemuva engazibekile balandelana baze bayosithela kumaNgelekethe ihlathi elimnyama elingalalwa nyamazane.
Bathi besithela lalisho izulu kwajika kwamnyama, kwesabeka laletha enkulu iMvula. Bathi beqhamukela ehlathini bazibona ngaphesheya komfula izinkomo. Laphoke uThemba akasakhulumi, uselokhu endlwathuzele njengohlanya. NoLihle uyamemeza emvakwakhe akasamphenduli. Indlela bayikhanyiselwa umbani. Ihlathi elimnyama uMangelekethe, bagudla eceleni kwalo baphikelele emhosheni onemihlanga nekhwani. Indlela iputsha khona iyophumela ngaphesheya.
Bathe bephakathi nomhosha kwasho izwi kuThemba
“NGINGUMPHATHI!”
Athuke uThemba ame phakathi nomhosha, lapho uLihle ubona umfowabo ema wavele wethuka kwaphela nasozwaneni ngoba akazi umfowabo umiswa yini.
“Themba ubonani, uzwani?” Amemeze uLihle.
Uthe esathukile uThemba engakasabeli, kwafika umoya khona lapho uhambisana nokuduma kwezulu nombani oyisimanga. Laqhubeka ladedela imvula eyisimanga. Aphinde uLihle, “Bafo uzweni kanti? Khuluma MtuNgwa,” umbuza nje akasamboni ngenxa yomnyama bemvula nomoya, usulalise umhlanga wavala nendlela. Kufike izwi naku Lihle.
“Baleka mtanami, buyela ekhaya!” athi uyaqalaza akasamboni uThemba noma sekushaya umbani kuvele kubesengathi sekuyigilawondi ezansi kwake. Umhlanga ulele phansi. Amemeze, lutho umfowabo. Avele acele empunzini. Ebheke ekhaya nakhona indlela uyizwa ngezinyawo. Lokhu lishilo izulu nomoya nemvula. Uthe esaGudla ihlathi elimnyama uMangelekethe, wezwa izwi lomfowabo limemeza: “Bafo ngilekelele ngafa.”
Wama wacabanga ukujika kodwa labuya izwi futhi. “Mtanami hamba ekhaya.” Akabuzanga mnyama wabe eqhubeka egudla udukathole wehlathi ephikelele ekhaya.
Uthe eqeda kuqhamukela kubo laphenya izulu, kwavela inhlamvu yelanga entshonalanga. Lapho usegijimela ukuyobikela abazali bakhe. Uthe efika akanganqonqoza washo nezicabha phakathi endlini kayise nonina. Athuke ome ubaba wakhe. Kwazise kunomama wakwaHlabisa ongabekwa zihlalo mawuke wakweleta kuye. Kushukuthi ukungena kuka Lihle kuqondane nokuba isajulile ngezikweletu zayo.
Abuze uMntungwa, “Lihle lamaNtungwa, yini kwenzenjan mtanami.”
Athi uyakhuluma uLihle abanjwe amalimu nezwi alisavumi.
“Hlala odabeni mtanami,” abuze UMntungwa.
“Baba uThemba angisamboni ungidukele ukufika komoya omkhulu siwela umhosha ongezansi kwehlathi elimnyama umaNgelekethe. Ngithe ngiyabheka ukufika kombani ukhanyisa kwavele kwangathi loyamhosha usulidamu elikhulu ngezansi kwethu. UThemba yena ngimgcine emi phambu kwami ukuthi uhambe nini angimazi.”
Asukume uMntungwa agqoke i-avaloni yakhe ebomvu. Athathe ucelemba wakhe owayengahlukani nawo, nezagila zakhe. Laphoke umama kaThemba usejuluke umanzi. Akusakhulumeki ngengane yakhe ekubeni ubese enethemba lokuthi ngoba isiyinsizwa nje isinomakoti. Isiyowubamba umuzi mabeficwa ukufa benobaba wekhaya uMntungwa. UMntungwa aphume abuke esikhaleni abasithele kuso no Lihle ubuka khona. Babuka ngethemba lokuthi kuzoqhamuka uThemba.