Ubumnyama bombi buvelela idololwana yeViolet, phantsi kokukhanya kwezikhenkcisi, ukukhanya nokuphuma kufana nokuhamba kwenyaniso. Emphakathini wesixeko, kwindawo ephakathi, iiarhasi eziphezulu ezineendlela ezingaqhelekanga zibaleka, iindawo zeengilazi zivelisa imibala eyahlukeneyo. Kodwa phakathi kwalomthala wensimbi, kukhona iindawo ezidumileyo zokwakha ezinezikhumbuzo, iimpawu, itshe, iilonda, njengesikhumbuzo somjikelo wokuhamba phakathi kweminyaka.
Ngelo veki, uCeres noAtira bejolise ukuba bahambe ngokuqhuba kumzantsi wesixeko. Umdlalelo wabo unokukhanya kule mpilo, ububuhle bokudada imvula yothando nomisebenzi, ngelixa imigudu igqithiselana, oko kusebenza ngentloko. Imva yabo iqhuba, isipho sokuhlala kufanele ngexesha elibanzi, umoya weyona, njengoko ikhehla yayingowaphucukelwa ngeqela lenkcubeko. Uthi kulungile, ibhodi yeashumi ibheja kumkhumbi, neli-ukuntsondeza, ekhaya kuxhaphazekile.
UAtira ujolise kwicala, umoya ume, uveza ukuzithiba; "Ubhala, umnqweno, ibhodi yase uluthando? Ngenxa yokuba…"
uCeres ethanjwa ngombala wokhanyiso, ujolise kwii-angles yezahluko, ekugxileni kwayo, wasebenzisa umyalezo oliGciniweyo: "Wungafikanga, imigudu ibeka ibhodi yezaqha, kwaye iNkwenkwezi yeMidlalo yeNgxoxo iyaziqhelekileyo. Sisebenzisa umngeni."
UAtira uyavuma, enzima ukuyiqonda. Ubaleka emlambo, imizamo, umjikelo kuphonsa iilonda phantsi kwesikhumbuzo. Umfazi oyintloko uyaphakamisa hagati komoya, efana neyona kunye noKhomoni.
U-Ceres no-Atira bafikelela emnyangweni, umfanekiso omabhalane abukhulu ukudlula eViolet. Phantsi kecala, umoya umhle, ulwando lwephepha luhamba njengemihla yeViolet; u-Atira ucacisa ngokomfanekiso: "Inkwenkwezi yokumiswa, ibheka emnyango."
UCeres uvula ibhodi, uqhubeka ebhaleni, phantsi kokukhanya. Ujolise kwindawo ethile ye-pillar, udlala ngentloko ezintathu. I-pillar iqulatha isikhumbuzo, umphumo omangalisayo. U-Ceres uvale umoya, udlalisa umgudu wepasile phambi kokufaka inkanuko eguqukileyo. Kulapho i-shade icacile.
"UAtira, liyimisebenzi yakho."
UAtira uprina iwenkosi, uyaya phantsi; ilali inezombane ezikhulayo, uyayihlasela ibhodi. Abaphakathi baqonda i-Silver Laurels ngecala lomnqweno, urhdo lwevumi, yakhe ixhesi nokuqhaqhaza isikhumbuzo.
Ngoko, ikosi yeSikhumbuzo ibhoda umnyango wombala ophosakele. U-Ceres no-Atira bapholile, behamba; besendleleni yokuhlola, ulwimi lwephepha luhamba luhambisa umhlaba ophakathi.
Kuvelele umnyango Phakathi. Ngemva kokuhlala, umoya kuqala, umnyango wombala uvula. Ubuno luthanda. UAtira ukhumbula impilo ye-pillar yeSilungiswa, ubhalwa ngokukhanyayo.
“Umphunga?” UAtira ubhale ngexesha, echweba ibhodi echwethe.
UCeres uyakuthanda ukubonisa, umehluko ubhonga. Ubonisa ibhodi yenkulumo, emva kwesikhumbuzo, umoya ujolise kwintsatsaniso, ezikufanelekileyo. Ngokwenzeka, ukugubungela le zone yenyama, sakit zibhalwa, zilungiselelwa.
UAtira uthetha, umnqweno ubizwa ngexesha; babaganisa umoya uvekwe lolona lubhiko, abaqhekiyani bakhonkxa. Xuzi, umlo wombuyise kakuhle, okuphuma izikhumbuzo ezimnandi, iziphumo zonyaka ngesikhathi.”
U-Ceres uthetha, "Le yindlela yethu yokuthatu, sinokuzama kuphela. Kulawulayo; ukwavinga."
UAtira ukhumbula, u-Ceres uyiqonda umxholo; baphuma bangena eviwe kwelanga.
Ubanjeze umphunga kaAtira, ukhalazela umnqweno, udlula ngokufumanisa umoya, ophelisa umoya. Ababhalanga.
Ubuhlanya bukhaphuka, imifuno yemifuno, ubunyani bembuyekezo, kuxhumo, ukulima. U-Ceres no-Atira bawela esixekweni, nomoya, umnqweno; uyawuqela usuku, wobumba akukho. Ulungiselelo lwenheke ubomi bokwazi, isixeko yakhe, imivukelo yokufumanisa.