Intombi endala yabamba isihlakala sami yasithi ngqi. Yayinamandla kunomuntu owayegula ngaleya ndlela. “Kumele ungisize, Mhlengikazi uDudu!”
Empeleni angiyena umhlengikazi, ngingumsizi womhlengikazi nje. Ngisebenza izinsuku ezintathu kuphela ngesonto. Ngivumeleke ukundlula imibhede nokuchitha izikigi kuphela. Futhi kumele ngilalele uMhlengikazi Ophethe Igumbi engithethisa uma kukhona engingakwenzanga ngendlela efanele.
Ngifisa sengathi ngabe ngingumhlengikazi wangempela. Nami bengizojova abantu bese ngibafake idriphu ukuze ngihlenge izimpilo zabantu. Kodwa ayikho imali yokuthi ngiye ekolishi lokufundela ubuhlengikazi.
Noma kunjalo, ngagobela entombini endala. Yayingikhumbuza ugogo wami, ngaphandle nje kwawo wonke amapayipi ayekuyo. Ngaphandle nje kwayo yonke imishini eyayisebenza imzungezile: i-ventilator, umshini oqaphe ukushaya kwenhliziyo neminye.
“Ngingakusiza ngani, Nkosikazi Gatyeni?”
“Kumele ungibeke komunye umbhede. Angifuni ukuba sembhedeni wesithupha.”
“Kodwa Nkosikazi, yonke imibhede yalapha e-ICU igcwele.” Lokhu kwakuyiqiniso: i-Intensive Care Unit yayihlala igcwele. “Yini inkinga ngombhede wesithupha?”
“Ziyashona iziguli ezisembhedeni wesithupha, Mhlengikazi uDudu. Kumele ungisindise.”
Ngiyazi ngezibhedlela, kanye nezindaba ezingewona amaqiniso azisabalala ezigulini: ukuthi odokotela abahlinzayo balalela umculo we-hip hop nokuthi bayadansa ngesikhathi behlinza iziguli; ukuthi abanye abahlengikazi abasebenza ebusuku bantshontsha imithi yezinhlungu bafake i-aspirin esikhundleni sayo; noma ukuthi baqhabula igazi elivela endaweni yokugcina amagazi (blood bank); nezinto ezingenabungcwele ezenzeka ngaphansi endaweni yamakhaza.
Ngiyakuqonda lokhu. Ukugula kuyethusa. Ukuba sesibhedlela kuyethusa, ikakhulukazi kwasebekhulile.
Ngaxoxisana nezinye iziguli ezise-ICU. Ngangisasebenze lapha izinsuku ezimbalwa nje.
“Unesiqalekiso umbhede wesithupha,” kusho uMnumzane Lenake. “Iziguli ezine emasontweni ayisikhombisa – zonke zishonile.”
“Futhi lokhu kwenzeka njalo ngoLwezihlanu, Mhlengikazi uDudu,” kwengeza umfanyana onguJonathan embhedeni weshumi. “Ngasekuqaleni isiguli siqhuba kahle. Ngomzuzu olandelayo uMhlengikazi Ophethe Igumbi uvala amakhethini. Ngomzuzu olandelayo umsizi wasemakhazeni useqhuba isiguli uhamba naso.”
Angisebenzi ngoLwezihlanu. Kodwa ngitshele uNkosikazi Gatyeni ukuthi, “Ngizongena ngoLwesihlanu. Ngizohlala eceleni kwakho usuku lonke ukuze ngiqinisekise ukuthi uphephile.”
“Ngikulethelwe inkosi!” UNkosikazi Gatyeni wangimamathekela ngaphansi kwamapayipi akhe.
NgoLwesihlanu ekuseni ngasheshe ngafika esibhedlela. Kwaze kwanesiphithiphithi! Kwakuphithizela kakhulu kunezinsuku engangijwayele ukusebenza ngazo. Iqulu lezitshudeni ezifundela ubudokotela ezazilandela odokotela emjikelezweni wamasonto onke uma bebona iziguli, lalisendleleni yomuntu wonke. Abahlanza isibhedlela abavela enkampanini ehlanza isibhedlela masonto onke bagcwala amaphaseji emifwaniswaneni yabo ephinki, bethwele izinsizakusebenza. Abahlengikazi babehla benyuka namafayela, belungiselela iziguli ukuhlinzwa kwangoLwesihlanu. Abasebenzi basehhovisi babegijima emva kwabo namafomu okunikeza imvume.
Ngavula iminyango yase-ICU. Kanti engakubona embhedeni wesithupha kwangenza ngashaywa uvalo ngendlela eyisimanga.
“Cha bo!” Ngimemeza. “Yima!”
Ohlanza igumbi owayeseduze kombhede kaNkosikazi Gatyeni wangijamela. “Ungakhulumi nami kanjalo! Angisona isisebenzi sakwakho! Ngenza nje njalo ngoLwesihlanu”
Kwaqhamuka uMhlengikazi Ophethe Igumbi. “Msizi womhlengikazi uDudu, umemezelani? Kusesibhedlela la, akukhona eshibhini! Awusebenzi nokusebenza namhlanje!” kuthetha yena. Khona manjalo naye wabona ukuthi wayezokwenzani ohlanza igumbi.
“Yima!” naye ememeza. “Kodwa nkosi yami! Ungalokothi!”
Ohlanza igumbi wabamba iplaki yomshini wakhe wokupholisha phansi ngesinye isandla. Ngesinye isandla wayematasatasa edonsa iplaki ye-ventilator kaNkosikazi Gatyeni ukuze akwazi ukusebenzisa indawo yokuxhuma ugesi odongeni.
Ngokushesha ngathola indawo yokuxhuma ugesi odongeni engasetshenziswa yomshini wokupholisha ephaseji. Ohlanza igumbi wayesalokhu engijamela.
“Uhlenge impilo namhlanje, Msizi womhlengikazi uDudu,” kusho uMhlengikazi Ophethe Igumbi. “Yebo, futhi mhlawumbe nezinye izimpilo ngoLwesihlanu abaningi abezayo!”
Iyaphela Lapha