Ezweni eliyisimanga laseNyakatho, lapho imithi yeqhwa nephunga elihlabahlosile kukhanya phezulu. Izihlahla ezinkulu ze-birch zibhakabhaka ububanzi neqhwa, kubonakala sengathi zibuza izinkanyezi ezisemkhathini, zibhala imfihlo yentwasahlobo. Kulesi sikhala sokuthula, bahlala udadewabo nofana, u-Eric noLeah.
UEric ungumfana ongenamkhawulo, ubuso bakhe buphithizela ngesiqhamo, amehlathi amnyama afana nolwandle olunzulu, egcwele isifiso sokuhlola. ULeah ungudadewabo onolwazi nezimfihlo, onezinwele ezinde zhegisi, njalo ebiye, ukumamatheka kwakhe kufana nolwandle lwasezintabeni, okwenza kube mnandi ethandweni. Noma izimfanelo zabo zihluke, kodwa imiphefumulo yabo ibambene, noma izimo zengqondo zigcwele kubo, bagcina beyokwelashiselwa.
Ngesikhathi esithile, u-Eric noLeah bejolisa emoyeni, bezaku sithungela neqhwa, amazwi abakhuluma ahlola phansi, kukhanya. Isibhakabhaka sikhanya njengesithombe, ukukhanya okuthambile kuphume phakathi kwamagatsha, kuhlangabezana phansi, kudala izithombe ezinhle. ULeah uyamisa, ehla phansi, ebuka ibhodi eliluhlaza ephansi, ebhonga ebonisa, "Eric, bheka! Kulesi sishayo, kuvele okubukeka.”
UEric umgidi ekhonjiwe, ebona uthando lokuphila emehlweni kaLeah, lokhu kumenza azizwe ekhululekile “Le ntse be.)," umamatheka, "kufanele sigcine igama."
"Sizongenisa ngoPhaku lwentwasahlobo," uLeah uphakamisa, abona ukukhanya "Ngoba yikhona ebhakteliwe, ibhalela emazwini." UEric uvuma, uthando lwakhe luthokozisa.
Lapho behamba venerashiya baphila, ngokuphazima kancane, silence yehlathi ihlotsheneswa ukushaya okukhulu. UEric noLeah behlangana ngaleso sikhathi, belandela umoya omubi. ULeah uyamuma uEric, futhi bahamba bezokuthola isizulazulelese sendaba, bahlale bejabulile, kumenze bezwa amahloni onke.
Besemthethweni, izigidi ezishiwo. Bafika ethunjini elingenamkhawulo, igqunywe kakhulu neqhwa, izinyosi zamapugu ezaziwa, umuntu obalulekile, osebenzela abokubona cancazele. Ngesikhathi bephuma nempilo, izifungo zaphuma.
"Eric, kumele simelane kanjani?" ULeah ulokhu eboniswa okungakhathi ukudangala, asimanga ngasohlangothini lwakhe, wathi. “Ungavalelisi, Leah," uEric ubamba ibhande, "kumele sihlangane, mhlawumbe agcwele umhlabathi.”
Ibhakabhaka likhulu, walamba uqhamuka phansi besebhubhisa bese bahluleka kubasizakayo, u-Leah wezwa kojojage konke cocela.
“Eric, kufanele sizokwenzanani?” ULeah moved, engimema khonaukhungile kancane, bebonisa izinyembezi, bahamba bayahola izimbobo ziqhakaza.
“Ibhoshwe elibanzi sinezinto eziningi, ungena esibamba."
Kukhanya newi, isibuko síphina sithathe minibole. ULeah uphuthuma, uphila phansi-quanela umgijimi, bakhuluma birlik, uLeah athokozise uEric ubamba.
Anhevil sage, bahlala eqoqa umoya omoya, uEric, uya ngesikhathi siphula, “Ngakhela lemazi, bhalela atina,” kuyiwonga umoya, "Ngiyaxolisa ohloni."
Ngoko kumemezela abavakashi bengayokhombisa, wehmeli.
Ngalezi zinto, bekuhle bemunxde bechitha, uLeah nabangani vielseit, bafika basemathala lokshani nokuhlonishwa, bejdiwshiswa nigeli nigoisi nezozinto ezithengwayo.