Owesifazane wayobheka ngemoto endaweni eseduze nalapho wase ebuya ezobika, “Ngibone ikati elimnyama, nenja ephuzi, nendoda edayisa ubhanana. Kodwa angizange ngiyibone ndawo intombazanyana.”
Ubaba kaZimkhitha wabheka phezulu, nanguya uZimkhitha, wayentanta eya phezulu, phezulu esibhakabhakeni phezu kwabo, njengebhelunde eliphinki.
“Maye!” kubabaza uMama. “Kazi ufike kanjani phezulu laphaya?”
Owesifazane onomusa wabheka esibhakabhakeni, ebuka uZimkhitha egwijisa emafini. “Ngabe … uyahleka?” kubuza yena.
“UZimkhitha uhlale ehleka,” kusho umama nobaba wakhe kanyekanye. “Asikwazi ukumyekisa. Lalelani.” Kuvela phezulu, phezulu esibhakabhakeni ukuhleka kukaZimkhitha kwehla kukhala njengensimbi encane.
“Maye!” kukhala umama wakhe, esonta izandla zakhe. “Kungenzeka awele olwandle.”
“Noma, esihlahleni samarozi,” kugquma ubaba wakhe.
“Ngingusosayensi,” kusho owesifazane onomusa, “futhi into yokuqala esiyifundayo ukuthi umoya uyaphakama. Kungenzeka ukuthi ugwinye umoya omningi ekuhlekeni kwakhe waze wandizela phezulu njengebhelunde.”
“O, o, o,” kukhala abazali bakaZimkhitha.
“Inye kuphela indlela yokumehlisa,” kusho owesifazane onomusa. “Kumele sonke simkhalise.”
“Maye,” kusho umama wakhe. “Akulula lokho. Uyingane ethanda ukuhleka kakhulu.”
“Kumele simemeze sisho into engemnandi kuye,” kusho ubaba kaZimkhitha, ekhalela edukwini lakhe.
“Sidinga abantu abaningi kakhulu ukuze bamemeze bonke kanyekanye,” kusho owesifazane. “Angeke asizwe thina sobathathu nje.” Ngakho bashaya zonke izinsimbi zaseminyango, bacela abantu ukuthi baphumele phandle. Ubaba kaZimkhitha wamisa izimoto wase ecela wonke umuntu ukuthi azosiza. Kungekudala kwase kukhona isixuku esikhulu, futhi babekhomba, bethathaza futhi, bethatha uZimkhitha nezithombe zevidiyo ngomakhalekhukhwini babo.
UZimkhitha wahleka, wahleka. Kwakuyinto ehlekisa kakhulu ayeseke wayibona.
“Sizothini okuzomenza ukuthi akhale?” kusho owesifazane onomusa.
“Ngiyazi ukuthi singathini!” kusho ubaba kaZimkhitha, wase ebatshela ukuthi bathini.
“Kunye, kubili, kuthathu, asishoni sonke …” kuyalela owesifazane onomusa.
Ngakho-ke, isixuku sakhomba esibhakabhakeni samemeza, “We, Zimkhitha! Sibona ngaphansi kwengubo yakho!” UZimkhitha wabezwa ephezulu emafini. Wabuka phansi wabona abantu abangamakhulu amahlanu bekhomba ingubo yakhe, wayeka ukuhleka.
Wehla. Kodwa ngesikhathi ehlela phansi wakitazwa amafu, wase ecabanga ukuthi kuhlekisa kanjani lokho kuba phezulu kangaka ngesikhathi wonke umuntu elaphaya ezansi. Wase eqala ukuhleka futhi.
“Maye,” kusho ubaba wakhe. “Akusebenzanga lokho.”
“Ngiyazi ukuthi singathini,” kusho umama wakhe. “Mtsheleni ukuthi siyalibona iphenti lakhe elimagqabhagqabha.”
Ngakho isixuku sadonsa umoya samemeza kakhulu, “We, Zimkhitha! Siyalibona iphenti lakho elimagqabhagqabha!”
