UThami wayehlala endaweni yase Madadeni. Ngelinye ilanga wahamba nomfowabo u-Ayanda ukuyokha amanzi. Wathi esagcwalisa ibhodwe lamanzi emfuleni uAyanda wabona unogwaja.

Ibhodwe lika Thami lase ligcwele eselungele ukubuyela ekhaya. Waqala ebheka umfowabo uAyanda kodwa akazange ambone. Wahamba wahamba embheka ekugcineni waze wamthola eziphumulele otshanini ngemuva kwesiduli esikhulu.

Ngesikhathi esondela u-Ayanda wayebeke umunwe wakhe ezindebeni. Eduze nje kwakuneqembu lamadoda ayehlezi ephumulile. Lamadoda ayephethe imicibisholo kanye namahawu! "Ayanda," kuhlebeza uThami. "Lawomadoda angabahlaseli bazele ukuzontshontsha izinkomo baphinde bashise indawo yangakithi. Woza ngokushesha sigijime siyoxwayisa umphakathi wangakithi."

Sebeseduze nasendaweni yangakubo bahlangana nomalume wabo. Wayehambisa izinkomo ukuba ziyophuza. UThami wamemeza ethi "Baleka malume, baleka! Amadoda ayeza ukuzokweba izinkomo bashise nendawo yethu." Umalume wamemeza izinkomo zakhe wase emlekelela ukuba agijime aye emphakathini.

Buqamama uThami wabona u-anti wakhe esebenza emasimini wase ememeza ethi "Baleka anti, baleka! Amadoda ayeza ukuzokweba izinkomo ashise nendawo yethu!" U-anti wathatha igejalakhe kanye nengane ayeyilalisile wabaleka eya emphakathini.

Buqamama uThami wabona umkhulu wakhe exhugeza endleleni eqhuba imbongolo eyayithwele inhlamvu. Wamemeza ethi, "Baleka mkhulu, baleka. Amadoda ayeza ukuzokweba izinkomo ashise nendawo yethu!" Umkhulu waphakamisa induku yakhe ngokushesha waqhuba imbongolo kwaze kwaba iyadlula emphakathini.

Bathi bangafika emphakathini uThami no Ayanda babiza bonke abantu bethi "Balekani, balekani. Amadoda ayeza azokweba izinkomo bashise nendawo yethu!" Umphakathi wawethukile kodwa ungazi ukuthi ungenza njani noma ungacasha kuphi. Wawuzozifihla kuphi izinkomo zawo? Wawuzozifihla kuphi izinhlamvu zawo? Wona umphakathi wawuzocasha kuphi?

UThami wayethuke kakhulu kodwa wakhumbula indawo lapho babeke bayodlala khona beno Ayanda. Indawo ephephile. Indawo eyimfihlo.

Wathatha isigubhu wasishaya kakhulu. Bam Bam Bam Boom Boom Boom Bonke abantu emphakathini bama. UThami wamemeza wathi, "Nginendawo yokucasha ngilandeleni." Wabamba uAyanda ngengalo.

Baqala indlela eya esihlahleni esasingekho kude. "Kungani nisiletha lapha? Angeke sikwazi ukucasha lapha," kusho umphakathi. UThami wathi kubaba wakhe, "Woza ngizokukhombise." Banwebela baze bafika embobeni evulekile phezulu esihlahleni. UThami nobaba wakhe behlela phansi ngaphakathi esiswini sesihlahla. Sasivulekile ngaphakathi.

UThami nobaba wakhe bavula imbono eceleni esihlahleni. Wonke umphakathi wakwazi ukungena ngaphakathi esihlahleni. Abanye babephethe ukudla kanye namabhodwe. Abanye bephethe amagusha, izimbuzi kanye nezinkomo. Okwakumangaza wonke umuntu wasithola isikhala ngaphakathi.

Lashona ilanga. Abahlaseli batheleka emphakathini ngoba kwase kumnyama. Ngaphakathi esihlahleni umphakathi wawulindele noma yini. Kwakubanda, belambile futhi benokwesaba. Ngabe yini eyayizokwenzeka?

UThami wathi, "Kuyabanda. Masibaseni umlilo." Wathatha amatshe amabili wawahlanganisa. Wokheleka umlilo. Ngokushesha umlilo ofudumele okhanyayo wabe sowuvutha.

Ilangabi lenyuka ngesihlahla. Esiqwini kwase kungasabhekeki ngenxa yokuhlaba kwelangabi. Ukuvutha kwaya kwaza kokheleka namagatsha. Intuthu yayisiphothana ibheke phezulu esibhakabhakeni.

Ngaphandle amasela asibona lesi sihlahla. "Imimoya!" bekhala, besaba. Isela lokuqala laphenduka labaleka. Nelinye ngokunjalo laphenduka labaleka. Nabanye kanye nabanye. Kwaze kwaba bonke bayabaleka. Umphakathi wase Ombalantu wasinda.

Yini oyicabangayo? Ngabe nguThami noma isihlahla esasindisa umphakathi wase Madadeni?