UNobuhle uphelelwe. Uyazi ukuthi angaphephela esontweni kuphela, kodwa akazi ukuthi likuphi nendawo lelo sonto. Nelanga selingaphuma noma nini, abantu bazogcwala umgwaqo bambuze ngezibazi ezigcwele ebusweni. Uhamba ngokushesha, ehambela kude nomgwaqo omkhulu.
UNobuhle ukugcine ngayizolo emini ukudla. Intamo nomzimba wonke kuyaqaqamba. Uzwa eshaywa isiyezi, ahlale phansi. Ikhanda ulibhekise phansi, amehlo uwavalile. Ubona izinyawo ezingazigqokile izicathulo zimi phambi kwakhe uma evula amehlo. Uphakamisa ikhanda, abone umfanyana amhlawumbisela ukuthi uneminyaka engu-12 embuka. Kukhona ibhala elinesigubhu samanzi esigcwele eceleni kwalo mfana. Kukhona nomoba kuleli bhala.
“Sawubona, Sisi. Ngabe udinga usizo?” kubuza lo mfana.
“Cha, angiludingi usizo. Ngisakhokha umoya nje kuphela,” uNobuhle uzwa kuzula ikhanda njengoba ebuka lo mfana nje. Alibhekise phansi futhi ikhanda.
“Ngempela? Awubukeki sengathi ukahle kodwa, Sisi.”
“Ngempela, ngi-right. Ngidinga umzuzwana nje ngikhokhe umoya. Likuphi isonto eliseduze kule ndawo?”
“Lilaphaya, ngale kwaleliya gquma, esigodini esilandelayo,” umfana ukhomba igquma elikude.
“Ihamba kuphi indlela esheshayo eya khona?”
“Le ndlela okuyo iyashesha kodwa ayiyinhle kahle. Kuhambeka kangcono emgwaqweni omkhulu, noma uthathela nje.”
“Ngiyabonga,” kusho uNobuhle. Uyazizwa ephelelwa amandla, uyezwa ukuthi uyaquleka.
Umfana utshekisa isigubhu esisebhaleni, akhongozele amanzi ngezandla. “Sisi, awuphuze nawa amanzi,” kusho umfana.
UNobuhle uhluleka ngisho ukusondela ezandleni zalo mfana ukuze aphuze amanzi. Nguye umfana osondela kuNobuhle nezandla zakhe ezincane. Aphuze uNobuhle. Usondela izihlandla zibe ningana lo mfana emphuzisa. Umhlephulela nomoba, amnike. UNobuhle uwudlisa okwegovu umoba.
“Uhlala kuphi, Sisi?” kubuza umfana. “Ngingagijima ngiyokuzamela usizo.”
“Cha!” kusho uNobuhle eluma umoba. “Ngizoba right, ungakhathazeki.” Uyawezwa amandla ebuya. Nenzululwane akasayizwa uma ephakamisa ikhanda ebuka lo mfana.
“Kanti lokho akuyona inkinga kimina, Sisi. Ngingagijima ngikufunele usizo. Nasekhaya akukude nalapha. Ngingaphuthuma khona ngikutholele nokudla ngoba ngiyabona ukuthi ulambile.”
“Cha!” kusho uNobuhle esukuma ema ngezinyawo. Uthatha omunye umoba, asuke ngejubane, aphele emehlweni.
Umoba namanzi kumnika amandla okugijima aze afike kuleli sonto elisesigodini esilandela lesi asuka kuso. Uzizwa enokukhululeka kwenhliziyo uma engena esangweni ebona ukuthi leli sonto lingelohlobo lweHoly Baptist Church. Endaweni akhulela kuyo uNobuhle wakhula esonta khona kuleli sonto futhi uyise ungumfundisi eHoly Baptist Church yaseStanger.
UNobuhle ungena egcekeni angqongqoze esicabheni segumbi elingemuva kwesonto. Kuvula umama osekhulile. Izinyembezi ziyaziqathakela kuNobuhle ngesikhathi kuhlangana amehlo.
“Ngena, mntanami,” kusho lo mama. “Kwenzenjani?”
“Mama, ngi-…” uphelelwa amagama uNobuhle.
“Ngabe uswele indawo yokulala, mntanami?” kubuza lo mama ekhathazekile.
Akukhulumeki kuNobuhle, uvuma ngekhanda kuphela.
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Sitshele umbono wakho: Ngabe isonto nomthandazo kungaphumelela kuhlule lokhu okwenziwe uNtombi nesangoma?