UZip noThando babona izibhamu esiqhoshe okhalweni kuBrice babalekele ekhoneni lomjondolo. UBrice uyagcaluza phambi kwabo, ubuka bona abuke i-chart lezigebengu.
“Sicela ungasilimazi,” kusho uZip.
UBrice ubona ukusaba emehlweni kaZip noThando akhumbhule ukuthi unesibhamu asifake okhalweni. “Khululekani, isibhamu ngisiphathele ukuzivikela kubantu engibasebenzelayo. Uma bengase bathole ngalento engizoyenza bazongizingela baze bangithole.”
UBrice ubuka uZip, “Muhle umsebenzi wakho waleli-chart. Kodwa kumele wazi ukuthi mina angikho kuleli zinga eliphezulu ocabanga ukuthi ngikulo ebugebengwini. Mina ngidayisa izidakamizwa ukuze umama wami nezingane zakithi bakwazi ukuthola ukudla.”
“UBrice nawe uyabandakanyeka ukubulaweni kukaZikhona?” kubuza uThando esondela kuBrice.
UBrice nguye ophethe isibhamu kodwa ubona ulaka olusemehlweni kaThando, asabe.
“Ngicela sonke sehlise umoya,” kusho uZip.
“Ngeke ngikwenze lokho!” uThando usondela kuBrice.
UZip ungena phakathi kwabo abalamule. “Thando, asimunike ithuba uBrice, sizwe ukuthi uthini.”
UBrice uhlala esihlalweni. “Ngifuna wazi, Bookworm, ukuthi angihlangani nakancane nokubulawa kukadadewenu. Ngiyabona njengoba ngibuka leli-chart ukuthi ngibukeka nami ngiyisigebengu. Ngokudayisa kwami izidakamizwa ngiphakathi nendawo ngoba nginikwa uSpokes ngidayisele izigelekeqe ezibulalayo neziphanga abantu.”
“Ufunani la Brice?” kubuza uThando.
“Ngize lapha ngoba ngifuna ukuninika ubufakazi obuzobopha abantu ababulale uZikhona. Ngizoninika negama lomuntu ophethe bonke ubugebengu, okunguye ophezulu kule question mark kwi-chart yenu.”
UThando noZip bayabukana. “Qhubeka silalele,” basho kanye kanye.
“Kufike uSpokes ezolanda imali yezidakamizwa. Ubehamba nendoda ebizwa ngokuthi uTrevor. UTrevor unginike incwadi wathi angiyishise. Incwadi eyi-diary.”
“Injani umbala?” kubuza uThando.
“I-Blue,” kusho uBrice ebuka uThando emehlweni. “Iyona i-diary kadadewenu.”
UBrice ufaka isandla ephaketheni le-jacket. Bahlehla ngokushesha oThando noZip becabanga ukuthi ukhipha isibhamu. UBrice ukhipha i-
“Akuvumanga ukuthi ngiyishise,” kusho uBrice.
UThando ulula isandla ayibambe i-diary. UBrice usayibambile naye, akayidedeli. “Ngifuna wazi ukuthi,” kusho uBrice, “Mina angihlangani nokubulawa kukaZikhona. Nginikwe le-diary ukuba ngiyishise kuphela.”
UThando ubuka uBrice ezinhlamvini zamehlo, abone ukuzisola. “Ngiyakukholwa, Brice,” kusho uThando.
“Ngiyabonga ngoba uyangikholwa,” kusho uBrice ededela u-plastic one-diary.
UThando uvula lo-plastic.
“Linda!” kusho uZip. Ubuya nama-latex gloves, athi, “Gqoka lokhu kuqala.”
UThando uyifunda isikhathi eside i-diary kaZikhona. Uphatheka kabuhlungu ngoba konke okwakubhalwa uZikhona kumayelana noThando noNandi. Ufika kulolu suku anyamalala ngalo uZikhona sekugobhoza izinyembezi. Akubhalwe lutho ngalolu suku anyamalala ngalo uZikhona.
“Ngiyaxolisa,” kusho uThando esula izinyembezi. “Akabhalanga lutho uZikhona ngosuku anyamalala ngalo.”
***
Sitshele: Ucabanga ukuthi uZikhona ubhaleni ngezingane zakubo kwi-diary?