Ngalesi sikhathi emadolobheni amahle, edolobheni laseVenice, ogwini lwezichwephe, amanzi alungiswa uhlanga eshisa ngophahla lwemali, njalo uhamba nezifutho ezimangalisayo nezimangalisayo. Lezi zikhwama njengezintambo, zigijima phakathi kwezindonga ezindala, kuphakamisa ukuthi zonke izindawo zigcwele izindaba eziningi. Kulolu dolobha oluhle, kukhona intombazane egama layo linguKhali, amaphupho akhe afana nelanga elishisayo lokusa, lumisa futhi lumisa.
Ukhali uhlale ezama ukulanda isimo sabantu abakhe, noma kunini lapho ehamba khona, uhambisa ukuphenduka okushisayo. Uqhamuka ezingeni eliphakeme, kodwa enhliziyweni yakhe unomgomo ongenakukhishwa. Uthanda ukuba umgibeli owaziwayo, ngalokho, uhlala evivinya ezindaweni ezisemqoka ebhange lezigcwele. Ekuseni, lapho ilanga lihlangana nemikhumbi, uKhali uyavuka, ufaka izingubo ezilula zokugijima, umjikeleza izitebhisi ezilungile, uqala ukuqeqeshwa.
Bekungeyona indaba ejwayelekile, ekuseni kube nezinyoni ezincane eduze kwezichwephe, uKhali edlula ethokozisa, ehamba phambili. Izinzwane zakhe zifana nezibhakabhaka, ziyaphumelela, bese zigijima ngama-archery amajuba, zifuna umgomo oholwa ngumjikeleza. Nakuba engilungile, izimfihlo zakhe ziba nemisebenzi, le mfula, amaplanethi, kuyenzeka amaphupho akhe, konke kuhamba nesinyathelo sakhe.
“Ukhali, wenza ini?” kwabe kukhumbula, kukhumbula, kwabe sekukhumbula kulomusa, kubuyela, kuyangaza, umngani wakhe omkhulu uAnna. UAnna uhlale ejabulile, njalo engeke abekezelelwe ujoya, lokhu impela kuyajabulisa abantu ababamba iqhaza.
“Ngiyazilungiselela! Ngifuna ukuba umgibeli, ngizokwenza imincintiswano!” uKhali ubonisa imicabango yakhe, amehlo akhe agcwele isiyalo. “Ungangiphuthelwa njalo, ngiyakukholelwa!” uAnna uchaza, ehlise phansi uKhali, “Ngizokweseka njalo!”
Ngesikhathi sigho, uKhali nawo wathola ikusasa okwenziwe. Uziqhenya, ukuba umgibeli akukwazeki kuphela ngomsakazo, kepha kunokuchanangeka kokufunda nokuzikhandla. Ngakho-ke, bobabili bahlolisisa ngezokwakhiwa ezisemqoka ezichwepheshini, uAnna ubewathandile ukufaka iziqondisi, ukubamba izinkulungwane, ngaleso sikhathi sehle.
Izinsuku zafika, uKhali akatholi kubi, amandla akhe nokufunda akhuphukela ekubhaleni. Ngosuku oluhlaza, laba abalandela, bakhuluma ngenxa yokuvivinya. Lezo ziqhamuka zizele ngokwemfashini, zibukeka kahle, uKhali ubhaqwa omhlangano.
“Ngifuna ukubona!” emnandi uthatha uAnna, bobabili banqamulelia phezulu. Uma befika, ikhanda livalekile, umphakathi uhlephuka njengesimo, abazokubanga baphuma phambili naku imiqondo eyanzima.
“Lo muntu ulungile!” uAnna ukhomba emntwaneni okwamukeliwe, “Ngifuna ukubamba iqhaza!” uKhali ubonisa emntwaneni osuka phansi, ukuthokozisa akuhlali.
Umlingani umahluko, uKhali ulungiselela ukugcina izinsuku ezinchapha, umphakathi ubonisa izinsizakalo. UAnna ibhalwa phansi, isikhathi sokushintshela phezulu, ukhuluma izinto ezikhalipha.
Ukhali uphuthuma. Izinsuku wakhangela ukuthi, le ndaba ayigcini, ibhasi leMatrix akufuni ukuyisebenzisa.
Izinsuku zenziwa ngamasitimela. UAnna ngaleyondla uKhali uzitholela, umhundla ubenokubamba izindlela ezinjalo ezimnandi, kubhaliswa ezithombeni. UKhali uphushedlani umphakathi, njengoba ushisa iqiniso lokuphila.
Empheleni yansuku, umphakathi uphazamisekile. UKhali huvule ubuso bakhe udala --- ngokoqobo --- ukuxhumana okuhle, lokhonkhamba, ukuvikela, omqondisi abazokuthola kungabi.
Ekupheleni, izinsuku ezintsha ziye zaqhubeka. UKhali uzosiza izinguquko azizungezile, phambi kukaAnna, ukukhangwa okukhulekile phezulu, ingozi zicacile -- uAnna iletha izinga eliphakeme.
Lezi zinsuku zazi, kanti, uKhali uyarembula.
Ukhali wenza izinkanyezi nezinhliziyo ezintsha. Lokhu kudalulwa kuhlonishwa emaphusheni akhe akhulelwe. Uziqhenya egcekeni, uKhali uphumani izinsuku. Khona lezi zinyanga zisebenza -- ngoba ngalesi sikhathi, ukhange uhlela izimpendulo eMason’s.
Uhlanga lwenza umhlangano phakathi, neze isizathu esezingeni, okuhle okulungile. Ngaphandle kweminyaka emisha, nakanjani uKhali uzotholela iziphakamiso ezinjalo.