U-Kebonye wayehleli yedwa esitokisini sasejele.
“Angizange ngimubulale,” esho ngenhliziyo ebuhlungu. “Leso silima Esingumseshi kumele sihlole ubufakazi baso.”
U-Kebonye wabe esebeka ikhanda ezandleni zakhe, ebukeka elahle ithemba. Yilokho ababekufuna – ukumbona engenathemba! Ngempela wayezizwa engenathemba. Ikakhulukazi ngenxa yeyunifomu yasejele esawolintshi okwakumele ayigqoke.
Umngane wakhe u-Magda wayemhleka lapho ebona lezo zimpahla. “Isono ngawe, ntokazi enebhadi!” Yilokho u-Magda ayekusho.
Umnyango omkhulu wensimbi wawuvuleka ngokuklekleza. U-Kebonye wama, waqonda, wagqolozela amehlo amnyama amahle ka-Lawrence Katse. Wayefisa ukumumoyizelela, ukumanga. Kodwa lokho kwakungase kumufake enkingeni.
Kunalokho ke waphoqa umlomo wakhe ukuba ube usini. Wakhuluma ngezwi eliqinile. “Sawubona, Mseshi! Ingabe uze lapha ukuziqhayisa? Ucabanga ukuthi uhlakaniphile, ngokuhlaziya leli cala!”
Wayengafuni ukusho lokho. Empeleni ayefuna ukusho ukuthi, “Lawrence, awuboni kodwa ukuthi ngiyakuthanda?”
Kodwa u-Lawrence Katse wayengeke abe nesithakazelo kuye. Wayengayilutho lapha. Kwakukhona amantombazane amahle kakhulu ukumedlula. Njengo Tumi Tladi egqoke iyunifomu yakhe emfanelayo. No-Lindi Khan – Isiboshwa 155F. U-Kebonye wayazi ukuthi akangeni kulaba!
U-Lawrence wabe esevala umnyango emva kwakhe waya ku-Kebonye. Wayekuthola kunzima ukuphefumula u-Kebonye. U-Lawrence wabe esebamba waqinisa zombili izandla zakhe.Kunini kodwa u-Kebonye ephupha ngalesi sikhathi? Kodwa wabe esehluthula izandla zakhe. Yilokho okwakumele akwenze.
“Ungalinge, Mseshi! Engikudingayo nje ubulungisa. Uyazi ukuthi angizange ngimubulale u-Simon.”
Kodwa u-Lawrence akazange anyakaze nakancane. Kunalokho wagoba wabe esemuqabuza, emlonyeni. Isikhathi esiyimizuzwane embalwa nje.
Umngane wakhe u-Magda wayezohlanya lapho ezwa ngalokho! U-Kebonye wayazi lokho okwakuzoshiwo u-Magda: “Uyintombazane enenhlanhla yazi wena, Kebonye! Ukuphila kwakho konke uyosho ukuthi waqatshuzwa u-Lawrence Katse!”
Kodwa u-Magda wayeqondi indlela izinto ezazingakhona lapha. Lokhu kuqabuza kwakungasho lutho. Kungenzeka u-Lawrence wayengasalikhumbuli ngisho negama lakhe langempela! Lapho ilanga lishona, wayezobe esezikhiphile edolobheni nentombazane enhle futhi wayezobe esekhohliwe nokuthi u-Kebonye uyaphila.
“Uzobuthola ubulungisa bakho, Ngiyakwethembisa, Palesa,” kusho u-Lawrence Katse omuhle. Wabe esephuma esitokisini sasejele. Kwakhala umsindo wokhiye ugedleza kwingidi esindayo.
U-Kebonye wabe eseyedwa futhi. Wabe esebeka ikhanda lakhe ezandleni zakhe waqala ukukhala, amahlombe akhe eqhaqhazela. Yilokho okwakumele akwenze.
“Yima!”, kumemeza u-Max. Wayengumqondisi wohlelo lukamabonakude, olubizwa ngokuthi Wheels of Justice. “Isiqephu esihle leso, bantu! Wenze umdlalo ohamba phambili njengenjwayelo, Lawrence! Wenze kahle, Kebonye. Uzoba umdlalikazi omuhle ngelinye ilanga.”
Iyaphela lapha
