Kwesuka sukela, Sikhukhukati, sikanye nemantjwele aso lamatsatfu, bekuhlala edlelweni linye neNkhomo.

INkhomo yayitsandza kudla tjani njengoba ihamba lonkhe lelidlelo ivakashela umngani wayo, Sikhukhukati. Kodvwa tikhatsi betimatima. Imvula beyiphutile kuna kulomnyaka, futsi bekunetjani lobuncane kakhulu. INkhomo yayilambe kakhulu njengoba ihamba kancane iya ehhokweni leSikhukhukati. Umlimi abekhohliwe kutsenga tjani.

Sikhukhukati sasijabulile kubona iNkhomo. “Sawubona mngani wami,” kusho Sikhukhukati. “Asengikuletsele emanti labadzako, lamasha kuze unatse. Kufanele kube womile ngemuva kwekuhamba indlela lendze kangaka.” Ngemuva kwaloko Sikhukhukati sagijima sayokha emanti kuze iNkhomo inatse.

Njengoba iNkhomo yayilele emtfuntini wesihlahla lesikhulu lesidzala, semanyeva, lamantjwele lamatsatfu abedlala eceleni kwayo. Abekhuluphele futsi amtfubi, njengetimbhali tesihlahla se-tabebuia iNkhomo lebeyisibona entfwasahlobo ngaletinye tikhatsi.

Sisu seNkhomo sabhodla futsi sadvuma ngesikhatsi ibuka emantjwele adlala. Yaphakamisa inhloko yayo yabuka ehlombe itisola. Kwekucala yabuka ngesekudla, yabuka ngesencele yaphindze yabuka ngesekudla. Bekute timphawu letikhombisa kuchamuka kweSikhukhukati.

Manje, tinkhomo ngalokuvamile atiyidli inyama, kodvwa khumbula kungenteka noma yini! INkhomo yayilambe kakhulu kangangekutsi ngaphambi kwekutsi icabange, yagcuma yacala kugijimisa lamantjwele lamancane lamtfubi lakhuluphele!

Lamantjwele lamatsatfu asakateka ngaphambi kweNkhomo, alunguta akhululekile: “Sinematubane futsi sijika khona lapha edvutane nawe. Angeke usibambe noma ngabe ungetama. Sinematubane futsi sijika khona lapha edvutane nawe. Angeke usibambe noma ngabe ungetama.” Futsi alunguta ahleka.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, Sikhukhukati sabuya nemanti eNkhomo. Sabuka lolutfuli lolugcwele eceleni kwemantjwele aso.

“Kwentekani?” Sikhukhukati sibuta, simamatseka sibuke lamantjwele lamatsatfu.

“INkhomo idlala kusigijimisa,” kulunguta lamantjwele, awela etukwalelinye, tinyawo tawo tisemoyeni.

“Kodvwa igijima kancane kakhulu,” ahleka. Ngako agcuma aya etulu futsi agijima aphuma ekhatsi kwetinyawo teNkhomo kuze akhombise kutsi abegijima ngekushesha kangakanani.

“Ningamenti umngani wetfu adzinwe,” Sikhukhukati senta umsindvo lomncane kulamantjwele aso ngaphambi kwekutsi sihambe siyolandzela iNkhomo lokunye lokunatfwako.

Ngekushesha ngemuva kwekuba Sikhukhukati sesihambile, iNkhomo yasukela emantjwele futsi yetama kubamba lokungenani linye. Kodvwa abaleka, ahlabela: “Sinematubane futsi sijika khona lapha edvutane nawe. Angeke usibambe noma ngabe ungetama. Sinematubane futsi sijika khona lapha edvutane nawe. Angeke usibambe noma ngabe ungetama.”

Ngaleso sikhatsi Sikhukhukati sabuya, lulwimi lweNkhomo lwalulenga ngephandle kwemlomo wayo, futsi yavela yakhamisa kwaba kanye, yawamita lamanti Sikhukhukati lebesiwabeke phambi kwayo

“Ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi ayanyatselana. Atsandza kudlala,” kusho Sikhukhukati. “Kodvwa lokungenani ngiyati kutsi aphephile kulohheya, ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi lowabuka asendzaweni lekhashane.” Sikhukhukati sabuka etulu esibhakabhakeni setfukile ngemuva kwaloko samamatseka sibuke iNkhomo.“Ngiyabonga ngekungigadzela wona ngesikhatsi ngingekho,” satjela umngani waso.

INkhomo beyati kutsi loko akusiko lokwenteke mbamba, ngisho noma beyiphatseke kabi kepha yavuma ngenhloko idziniwe. Ngaleso sikhatsi, yase ifa ngenca yendlala. Kugijimisa emantjwele kwawacedza onkhe emandla ayo.

Ngemuva kwesikhatsi, iNkhomo yavuka yavalelisa Sikhukhukati, itibuta kutsi itawukhona yini kuhamba loluhambo loludze lolubuyela emuva endzaweni lehlala kuyo.

INkhomo yatitsela esibayeni ngesikhatsi nje titfunti tekushona kwelilanga ticala kunwebeka esiyilweni. Yakhululeka nayibona inyandza lenkhulu yetjani lebeyiletfwe ngumlimi. Nayicala kudla, ayikhonanga kuyekela. Yadla yadla yadla yadzimate yesutsa kakhulu kangangekutsi yakhuphuka yabheka etulu enyangeni, njengebhaluni lenkhulu lenemibalabala. Ngoba khumbula, kungenteka noma yini!

Yenta indzaba ibe nemdlandla!

• Yini intfo lengakavami lowake wayidla? Dvweba sitfombe salokudla. Ngaphansi kwalesitfombe, chaza indlela lokudla lokunuka ngayo nendlela lokunambitseka ngayo.
• Bhala siphetfo lesisha salendzaba. Yini lebeyingenteka kube bekute tjani leNkhomo lebeyingabudla nayifika ekhaya? Khumbula, kungenteka noma yini!