"Shhhu!" Kukhu aboolanga. "Omubasu kufwa muno! Khandi inyungu ino neisiro muno. Lekha khwikhale mushiinikha shiomusala khuulushekho atiti." Yeyeya oluya khubweni bwe niyekhala asi akari wemisi. Bwibo yema niyesilile khumusala kwomutoto kwelikhoba linywelelefu, naye omusiani wabu, Yusuf, nabotokhana eshisina shiomusaala oko okhulola obubambalifu bwako. "omusala kuno kwakofula muno. Nomba, Kukhu?" "Naabwene Bwibo. Nomukofu. Ne shikuli omukofu muuno tawe, khandi shikuli omukofu nga kulia okuli mwitala lia kholera ta!" "Kholera? Mwitala lili ambi ano?" Bwibo nareeba? "Nochama kukhu khubolelekho komusala kuli eyo oko," nasaya Yusuf. "Nakhekhala asi orechelesie," Nyakukhulu naboola ne nachaka olukano lwe.

Khale yalikhowo omukhaana mbu Shiloya, okhurula mwitala lia Namulungu. Inyanga yindi yatsia nende omusiani wabu mbu Mung'oma, okhwenda amatsi. Olwa Shiloya yali natayilanga amatsi musiongo ye, Mung'oma yalola eshituyu. Narakho okhushitafia. Yatafia khandi natafia khandi natafia- ne opara mbu yakhanyalile okhutila eshituyu shilia? Shiyanyala tawe. Eshituyu shiali eshiangu mumbilo okhumushila. Shiloya yetsusia inyungu ye ne niyekasia okhutsia ingo. Yalinga linga wosi ne shiyamulola Mung'oma tawe. Shiyamanya wa yali natsile tawe. Ne, yamanya mbu shiyakhatsia nango nalali nende omusiani wabu omutiti oyo tawe. Yachaka okhumukhaaba. Yachenda, nachenda khandi nachenda. Inyuma namunyoola nakonele mubunyasi inyuma welitulo likhoongo. Shinga yasita ambi ninaye, omusiani wabu oyo yara olwala lwe khumunwa. Eshiachila nishina niyenya omukhaana wabu oyo okhuulela? Ambi awo, omukanda kwa abasatsa balamanyishe tawe bali nibalwananga. Abasatsa tsana abo bali nende obuyingo nende tsimbeko. Nende amafumo! Shiloya yaulila emioyo chiabu," Yamoonyela omusiani wabu, olwa yarechelesia atiti. "Abasatsa abo nabanuli. Betsile okhwiba tsing'ombe tsiefu nende okhusamba litaala liefu. Yitsa bwangu. Khutsie ingo khuchesiyie litaala." Bwangu Shiloya nende Mung'oma bekhwesa asi nibarula abundu awo, niberukha, nibatsia okhuchesiyia abelitala liabu."

Olwa bali ambi nende litaala liabu, babukana nende sabwe wundi. Yali nayilanga ing'ombe ye okhunywa. Shiloya yamulanjilisia, "Ilukha, papa, ilukha! Abandu basatsa betsanga okhwiba tsing'ombe tsiefu nende okhusamba litaala liefu." Omutsa oyo yalanga ing'ombe ye naishukhasia nalinjia ingo. Ambelikho, Shiloya yalola nyina wundi nakholanga emilimo mundalo namulanjilisia, "Ilukha, mama, ilukha! Abandu basatsa betsanga okhwiba tsing'ombe tsiefu nende okhusamba litala liefu!" Omukhasi oyo nabukula imbako ye, natola omwana we owali nakona, narekukha tsimbilo nalenjile nango. Khandi imbelikho, Shiloya nalola kukanyene. Yali nasiechelanga khumwanda nende isishili ye nichiinjile omusiko kwe imele. Namulanjilisia, "Ilukha, kuka, ilukha! Abandu basatsa betsanga okhwiba tsing'ombe tsiefu nende okhusamba litala liefu!" Kukanyene yachinga ilabushiye ekulu nalonda isishili tsimbilo nayilenjesiye netala.

Kho Shiloya nomusiani wabu boola mwitala. Ne nalanjilisia buli omundu, "Ilushe, ilushe. Abasatsa bandi betsanga okhwiba tsing'ombe tsiefu nende okhusamba litaala liefu." Abelitaala elo besundukha. Bakoyana mwitala nga amache mu shiswa, nishisenerwe nende ing'ombe. Bakorwa wabakhefisile nomba shiokhukhola. Nabafise yeena tsing'ombe tsiabu? Nabafise yeena imele yabu? Nabo abene nabefise yeena? Shiloya yali nende oburi obunji muno. Yetsulila wa ye nende omusiani wabu Mung'oma batsitsanga okhubayakho efise findi. Abundu alayi. Abundu wamefiswi.

"Emanyile abundu!" Yababoolela. "Emanyile abundu wa fwesi khulefisa obulayi!" Nabo abelitaala shibalola elia yali nababolelanga tawe. Bakhupa busa oluyoka. Akhole shina kho abelitala bamuwulile? Opara mbu Shiloya yakhola shiina? Yatoola ingoma mana nachiupa obutinyu lukali. Boom Boom Boom Abelitaala bosi bema nibaulela. Shiloya nababoolela, "Emanyile abundu wakhunyala okhwifisa. Mwesi munonde." Yamutiila Mung'oma omukhono. "Yitse. Khulaira buli omundu khumusala kwefu. Fwesi khulefisa obulayi mubwenemo." Omusiani wabu yaresia omurwe nakana. "Tawe Shiloya. Ako namefiswi kefu. Waboola mbu khulaboolerakho omundu tawe." 'Abwene," omukhana wabu naboola. "Kali amefiswi. Ne bulano fwesi khuli mubutinyu." Shiloya nende omusiani wabu bemilila abandu okhutsia khumusala kwo mutoto kwali ambi awo. Abulao wamanya eshichila."

"Nishina eshichila nokhurera ano? Shikhunyala okhwifisa ano tawe," abandu nibabola. Naye Shiloya naboolela samwana, "Itsa. Ndalakhwechesia." Nibanina ekulu womusala. Omuluu kwalikho mutiiti. Shiloya nende samwana bekha asi mukhombe wokusina kwomusala oko. Kwalimo ikhombe ingali. "Ne abandu boosi shibanyala okwinjilila mukhaluu khatiti khano tawe ", samwana nabola. "Tawe," Shiloya namukalusia samwana. Rere tsiyaywa khwikule omuluu omukhongo mushisina."Ne nibakhola bario. Bekula omuluu mulubafu lwo musala oko. Abomwitala bandi benda imele nende tsinyungu. Abandi nibenda tsimbusi, amakondi nende tsing'ombe. Boosi benjila mukhombe ikhongo yomutoto oko okhuburira mumuluu oko. Ne khandi eshiamakana shiali mbu, obwiyangu bwaliwo khu buli omundu."

Eliuba liakwa. Eshilima shienjila ne eshiro nishiwulela tsi, nende omunyiri omunji. Abanuli nibakunguna kaala okhutsia mwitala elo. Shiali nishilime ti. "Buli omundu bulano akona," abanuli babolelana. Ne mukari womutoto abelitala balindilila. Nishiina eshiali nishitsia okhukholekha? Omunyiri kwali nikubatilile. Bali nibaulila inzala ne khandi nende oburi obunji. Shiloya nababoolela mbu, "Omunyiri nomunji. Khubwanekho omuliro." Ne nabukula amachina kabiri nakatuyania alala. Karusia tsinzesele ne nitsitira obunyasi ne omulilo nikwakha. Bwangu obo omulilo nikwakha omukhoongo.

Elwanyi womusala, abanuli bekhwesa kala kala nibasita ambi muno. Ne bwangu mulala khubo niyayula niyechesia khumutoto oko. Tsinzesele tsiakha nitsiruuma ekulu womutoto. Tsimoni tsiatila obulafu bwo muliro, nitsiakha okhurula mumusala. Tsinzesele tsiatila amasaka komutoto. Omwosi nikubotokhana nikulinjile mwikulu. "Nokushieno," omusuku mulala narekukha tsimbilo natsia. Khandi oundi nende oundi. Okhula nga boosi berukha bawa. Abandu bo mwitala lia Namulungu baonera awo.

Kukhu nawulela busa. Shiloya yaabasia likhoba litorotoro liomutoto. "Khulwesho kwali omusala okwaonia boosi," kukhu naboola.