Emandulo, amantombazane amathathu ahamba ayotheza.

Ilanga lalishisa kakhulu, base behlela emfuleni ukuyobhukuda.

Badlala, bethelana ngamanzi ngesikhathi bebhukuda.

Kusenjalo, babona ukuthi isikhathi sase sihambile. Baphuthuma bephindela emakhaya.

Bathi sebesondele emakhaya, uNozibele wazithinta entanyeni wathola ukuthi umgexo wakhe wawungekho. Wayewukhohliwe!

"Ngicela ningiphelezele bandla!" ebancenga. Kodwa abangane bakhe bathi sekuhlwile.

UNozibele waphindela yedwa emfuleni. Wawuthola umgexo wakhe, waphuthuma ephindela ekhaya.

Endleleni waduka ebumnyameni.

Buqamama wabona ukukhanya okwakuqhamuka endlini.

Waya khona, wafika wangqongqoza emnyango.

Wamangala kakhulu ebona kuvula inja. Yathi, "Ufunani la?"

"Ngidukile, ngicela indawo yokulala," kusho uNozibele.

"Ngena, ngale kwalokho ngizokuluma!" kusho inja. UNozibele wangena ngaphakathi.

Inja yathi, "Ngiphekele!"

"Kodwa angikaze ngiyiphekele inja," kuphendula uNozibele. "Uma ungangiphekeli, ngizokuluma!" kusho inja.

UNozibele wayiphekela inja.

Inja yathi, "Ngindlalele umbhede!" UNozibele wathi, "Angikaze ngendlalele inja."

"Yendlala, ngale kwalokho ngizokuluma!" kusho inja.

UNozibele wawendlala umbhede.

Zonke izinsuku wayepheka, ashanele, futhi ayiwashele inja.

Ngelinye ilanga inja yathi, "Nozibele, namhlanje ngizovakashela abangane bami. Sala ushanela la, upheke, futhi uwashe nezingubo zami."

Emva kwesikhashana inja isihambile, uNozibele wathatha izinwele ezintathu ekhanda lakhe.

Wabeka unwele olulodwa ngaphansi kombhede, wabeka olunye emva kwesivalo, wabeka olunye esibayeni.

Wabaleka waya ekhaya ngokushesha.

Yathi inja ibuya, yafuna uNozibele.

"Nozibele, ukuphi?" imemeza. "Ngilapha ngaphansi kombhede," kusho unwele lokuqala. "Ngilapha, emva kwesivalo," kusho unwele lwesibili. "Ngilapha, esibayeni," kusho unwele lwesithathu.

Inja yavele yabona nje ukuthi uNozibele wayeyicuphile.

Yagijima imfuna. Kodwa abafowabo bakaNozibele babeyilinde nezinkulu izinduku.

Inja yabaleka yaphindela emuva, ayiphindanga yabonakala kusukela ngalelo langa.