Etulu emagaleni, Neo bekakhona kubona umngcengcema lapho kuphela khona umhlaba. Futsi bekukhona lokunyenti endzaweni letsite lapho, lebekucishe kumetfuse nakacabanga ngako.

Kepha lesihlahla sambamba ngalokuphephile, futsi samhlebela satsi, “Hamba uyotibonela utfolisise. Ungesabi. Kunemhlaba lomuhle, lomkhulu, lobanti lapha.”

Ngako, Neo wabese uyehla wachubeka neluhambo lwakhe lwekuncamula siganga.

Masinyane nje, wahlangana nesidvuli senhlabatsi lecinile lesinetimbobo letincane, njengeminyango lemincane. Ngekhatsi bekeva emavi latinkhulungwane lakhulumako, kanye netigi tetinyawo letincane letigijimako letitigidzi letisitfupha.

“Sanibonani! Nibobani?” Neo wamemeta kumunye waleminyango.

“Sawubona!” kwaphendvula livi lelincane. “Sitintfutfwane. Sicoca tindzaba temhlaba lapha. Ingabe uyafuna yina kuva letinye tato?”

Neo bekatitsandza tindzaba, ngako-ke wahlala phansi walalela. Letintfutfwane tacoca tindzaba tato tesiganga nelihlatsi, kanye netetintsaba nemadolobhakati labekakhashane kunalapho.

“Tindzaba letinengi kangaka?” kwabuta Neo.

“Tinyenti letindzaba tingangetinkhanyeti esibhakabhakeni,” kwaphendvula tintfutfwane.

Neo, wavalelisa ngekuvilitisa sandla, wachubeka nendlela yakhe yekuncamula siganga.