UZimkhitha wase eyeka ukuhleka wehlela phansi ibanga elingamamitha angamashumi amahlanu. Kodwa ngesikhathi ebuka isiminyaminya sezimoto nethimba likamabonakude nezinkulungwane zabantu ababembuka, waqala ukuhleka futhi. Wase ekhuphuka futhi.
Owesifazane onomusa wanikina ikhanda lakhe. “Kumele sizame ukusho okuthile okuyichilo kunalokhu,” washo ngezwi eliqinile. “Noma inini kusukela manje uzobanjwa umoya, bese endiza unomphela. Yini embi kunazo zonke eniyicabangayo esingayisho kuye?”
Bahlanganisa amakhanda bacabanga, bacabanga, bacabanga. Bayithola ekugcineni.
“Manje sonke kanyekanye,” kumemeza ubaba kaZimkhitha, eme phezu kweMercedes Benz. “Wonke umuntu makamemeze kakhulu ngendlela angakwazi ukwenza ngayo, sonke ngesikhathi esisodwa.”
Isixuku sabantu abayizinkulungwane ezine, nenja ephuzi, ikati elimnyama, nendoda edayisa ubhanana kwamenyezwa, “WE ZIMKHITHA! SIYALIBONA IPHENTI LAKHO, FUTHI LINEMBOBO!”
UZimkhitha wayeka ukuhleka.
Wehlela phansi. Wehla, wehla, wehla. Wehla futhi, wehla futhi, wehla futhi, waze wacishe wathinta phansi.
“Mntanami omuhle!” kukhala umama wakhe, ebamba imilenze yakhe emehlisela eMhlabeni. “Ngibonga ukuthi uphephile!”
UZimkhitha wabuka isixulu sabantu ababemhalalisela, behleka futhi beshaya izandla zabo. Wayeshaywa amahloni kangangokuba wamboza ubuso bakhe wagijima waya ekhaya.
“Maye,” kusho ubaba wakhe. “Simzwise ubuhlungu. Uphatheke kabi kakhulu.”
Ngakho abantu bahlanganisa amakhanda futhi bacabanga into enhle engamenza azizwe ekahle.
“Kanyekanye manje,” kumemeza umama wakhe.
Base bememeza, “WE, ZIMKHITHA! BESINCOKOLA NJE!”
UZimkhitha wayeka ukugijima.
“SIKWATHEMBISA!” bamemeza bonke. “EMPELENI BESINGALIBONI IPHENTI LAKHO, NGOBA UFAKE IBHULUKWE ELIPHINKI!”
UZikhitha wase eqala ukuhleka.
“O hhe, mbambeni ngokushesha,” kumemeza umama wakhe.
Benza kanjalo. Ngesikhathi.
