Ukujabula okwakugcwele enhliziyweni ngesikhathi ngibona u-Owethu emamatheka kwaphenduka ukwesaba ngesikhathi sesilindele ukuba igcwale itekisi eya ePort Edward. Ukuthungathwa amaphoyisa agcine engibophile mayelana nokubamba inkunzi endaweni edayisa usikilidi kwakugcwele ekhanda. I-Toyota Quantum yayinamawindi adimile kodwa lokho akusizanga ngalutho ukwehlisa ukwesaba ukwakuphuphuma enhliziyweni. Ngangihleli eduzane newindi elingemuva kwelomshayeli ngigone u-Owethu, uLinda ehleli eceleni kwami.
Ukutatazela kwakuzula kungapheli ekhanda. Imicabango yayiqhamuka ngesivinini esisabekayo. Itekisi lalinabantu abambalwa. Wonke umsindo owawuqhamuka ngaphandle kwakuzwakala sengathi unezelelwe. Ngangiqalaza ngingaqedi. Kwakuwusuku olubandayo kodwa ngazizwa ngifudumele. Ikepisi lalimanzi liconsa umjuluko. Ukukhala kwe-siren yeveni lamaphoyisa kwamisa ukushaya kwenhliziyo umzuzwana. Ngalunguza ngaphansi kompheme wekepisi. Iveni yamaphoyisa yadlula ihuba erenki. Kwalandela amanye ama-siren, ngancipha ngafisa ukuba singigwinye isihlalo.
Ngahlebela uLinda, ngathi, “Ngabe beza la? Ngabe amaphoyisa eza la?”
“Cha, Spha. Ama ambhulensi alandela iveni yamaphoyisa. Ngicabanga ukuthi kukhona ingozi eyenzekile abayiphuthumayo,” kwasho uLinda sakuhleba.
“Kungcono ngikhokhele zonke izihlalo ezingenabo abagibeli khona izosuka njengamanje itekisi.”
Ngezwa isandla sikaLinda singibamba ethangeni. Ngambuka uLinda ngabona ukuthi ugcwele ukuphola emehlweni.
“Yehlisa umoya, Spha,” kwasho uLinda. “Wenzisa okomuntu osolisayo, onecala. Uyazibona nje ukuthi uyaqhaqhazela?”
ULinda wakhipha i-toilet paper esikhwameni wagoqa ingcosana ngesandla.
“Uyajuluka nokujuluka unjalo,” wanginika i-toilet paper. “Ukutatazela kwakho sekuvuse no-Owethu kanti ubesezumeka umntanami.”
Wathatha u-Owethu emathangeni ami uLinda. Umjuluko waqathaka ungaphezi ebusweni bami. I-toilet paper engasula ngayo umjuluko yaphenduka ibhola elincane elimanzi esandleni.
“Kodwa Linda ngingazikhokhela zonke izihlalo ezingenabo abantu!”
Wanikina ikhanda uLinda, wangibuka ngqo emehlweni, “Kuzokwenza abantu basole ukuthi kukhona okushaya amanzi, Spha. Yehlisa umoya.”
Ukuzethemba okwakugcwele ezwini likaLinda kanye nokuphola emehlweni akhe kwangikhululekisa ngayeka ukutatazela. Emizuzwini engamashumi amathathu itekisi yabe isigcwele, isendleni elibangise ePort Edward. Ukukhululeka kokusuka eKokstad kanye nokuba khona kuka-Owethu noLinda eduzane kwami, kuhlangene nezigameko ezinyantisa igazi engangizibonile ngesikhathi sibamba inkunzi kwashona uMdu noPadlock, kwahlangana konke kwaletha ukuzumeka okwangilalisa ubuthongo obujulile. Ngavuka ngoba sengiqhwetshwa uLinda sesingena edolobheni lase ePort Edward.
Ngavuka ebuthongweni obungenawo amaphupho. Ukujabula engakuzwa ngesikhathi ngivula amehlo ngibona u-Owethu noLinda kwaba okwemizuzwana embalwa. Umqondo wabuyekeza ngesivinini esiphezulu konke okwenzeka ngesikhathi sibamba inkunzi – ukutatazela, ukwesaba, izibhamu, igazi, umlilo kanye nokufa. Ukutatazela kwangihlasela ngokuphelele. Ngezwa sengathi kukhona intambo engabonakali engiklinyayo. Sathatha indlela eqonde e-Rest Easy Inn lapho sasizolala khona. Ngavala isicabha segumbi lethu, kwaba yilapho ngiqala ukuphefumula ngokukhululeka.
Sitshele umbono wakho: Ubona ukuthi uSpha ungumuntu ontekenteke, noma vele kuyinto ejwayelekile ukuthi umuntu azizwe kanjena emuva kokudlula kuzo zonke izinto adlule kuzo? Noma mhlawumbe ubona ukuthi udliwa unembeza kuphela emuva kokubamba inkunzi kwashona abantu ayehamba nabo?