Isihlahla sezifiso
Umhambi wayedlula ogwadule ngosuku lumbe elalishisa likhipha umkhovu etsheni. Wayekhathele, omile futhi elambile futhi.
Wayedinga indawo enomthunzi ukuze aphumule isikhashana. Wabona isihlahla esikhulu esinamaqabunga buqamama. Wazizwa ejabule futhi wathi enhliziyweni yakhe, “Ngabe ngiphuze amanzi manje.” Yebo, wathola isitsha esigcwele amanzi abandayo phansi phambi kwakhe, wahlala phansi lapho waqala ukuhabula amanzi. wafisa “Benginokuthile engikudlayo, khona lapha.” Ngokushesha, kwavela izinhlobonhlobo zezitsha phambi kwakhe. Wayengaphansi komthunzi weKalpa – Vriksha – isihlahla somlingo. Kwakuyisihlahla esifisayo leso.
Noma ubani owayengaphansi kwawo wayeyoba nanoma yini ayeyifisa! Isihambi sajabulela ukudla okumnandi. Wezwa ezunywa ubuthongo. Wayefisa indawo yokulala enhle. Kwavunyelwa. Wazelula kahle kumatilasi othambile. Imilenze yakhe yayibuhlungu njengoba wayehambe ibanga elide.
Wayenethemba lokuthi kukhona ozombhucunga izinyawo. Yebo, kwaqhamuka intokazi eduze nomuzwa wakhe. Waqala ukumbhucunga izinyawo nemilenze. Ngokushesha wazumeka. Ngemva kwesikhathi eside waphaphama.
Le ntokazi isahlezi eduze kwakhe. Manje waqala ukucabanga ngenye indlela. “Zingenzeka kanjani izinto ezinje? Ngingathola izinto, engangizifisa, ngokuzicela nje?” Ingabe uhlobo oluthile lweqhinga elidlalwa idemoni eliwumlingo” wangabaza. O, kwavela idimoni langempela esikhundleni sentokazi enhle! Idimoni lalimhleka kabi.
Umhambi wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Ingabe uzongidla angiqede na?” Kungakapheli sikhathi idemoni laqala ukumgxumela, livuleke umlomo, isihambi esasithukile sabamba izithende saso sabaleka, sagijima sagijima isikhathi eside. Uma ebheka emuva alikho idimoni “yini yonke lento? Ngabe izinto zenzeke ngempela? Noma bekuyiphupho nje?” umhambi waqala ukuzibuza. “Mhlawumbe uSomandla umnika lokho umuntu akucabangayo.” Waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe.
