USithandile wayedanile ngoba ipeniseli yakhe engasayiboni. Munye umuntu abona esemphathela umxhaka wakhe wezingwalo ekade engamcelanga lokho. Nguye futhi owayekade ekhala ngokuthi ipeniseli yakhe kasayiboni. Uthe etshela umfowabo uFanyana ngalokho, wahle waphanga wathi, 

“Ugangile uMsongelwa. Nguye futhi owake weba irula yami.”  

Besaxoxisana ngalokho, babona nanguyana uMsongelwa ehamba labanye abangane bakhe bephuma igedi lesikolo. UFanyana wahle wammemeza esithi,

“Yeyi wena Msongelwa! Akume lapho ngi …”

Udadewabo wahle wamquma umlomo ekhuza esithi, 

“Hayi-bo Fanyana! Inhlwa kayibanjwa ngekhanda. Hawu! Ufuna ukumlimukisa abe eseyicatshisa ipeniseli yami. Thula! Ngizambamba ngoba eyami ipeniseli ilophawu oluthile.”

Habe! Yayisiphose yawuchitha umuthi inkonyane. Nxa kukhona okukhona, akumelanga kwenziwe ngewala. Kumele kubekezelelwe kuze kuvele sobala. Inhlwa ingathi isithi lungu ivela ngekhanda emlindini wayo, musa ukuhle uzame ukuyidobha ngesandla funa uyikhuthe ihle intshobele emlindini wayo. Linda nje ubekezele ize ikhuphe umzimba wonke ube-ke usuyigola. Lendaba eyenzakeleyo ongabe ufisa ukuyizwisisa, musa ukuyigagamela ingakabi sobala. Bekezela ucwayisisa ukuze uphume leqiniso elipheleleyo. Impela, inhlwa ayibanjwa ngekhanda.

Barbara Nkala