Isahluko 1Ngemuva kweminyaka eyi-10…
Umculo onomsindo uphume ngesigqi usuka ekilabhini, uphawu lwayo lwe-neon olukhulu olunsomi lushintsha imibala ehambisana nesigqi. Ukukhanya kwakha ukukhanya okwesabekayo esakhiweni esingaphesheya komgwaqo. Ophahleni lwaleso sakhiwo, indoda eyayinezinwele ezimfishane, ezikhanyayo ezi-blonde yema ngonyawo olulodwa onqenqemeni. Wagoba phambili, indololwane ibambelele edolweni eligobile, ngesikhathi ebhema usikilidi.
U-Kane Tripp wagobisa ikhanda lakhe kancane wase ehambisa isandla ezinweleni ezimfushane ezinezipikili. Wayekuzonda ukuyisika, egeja ubude obukade bubude. Wayesawukhumbula umuzwa wobusilika bayo obuphulula umhlane wakhe ongezansi. Ewuphakamisele ezindebeni ugwayi, adonse umoya ajule azi ukuthi uphuthelwe yizinto eziningi, njengogwayi ayewubhema ngaphambi kokuba angcwatshwe ephila washiywa esefile.
Eminyakeni engu-40 edlule wabanjwa engalindele uMalaki, umholi weqembu elincane lama-jaguar, futhi esolwa ngokubulala umngane womshado. Ngaphambi kwalobo busuku, uKane wayenokuma okuhle nezingwe, futhi umholi wazo wayengomunye wabangane bakhe abakhulu. Izindebe zikaKane zaba zincane enkumbulo. UMalaki wayeliqulile icala, wamahlulela futhi wamgweba ngolaka.
Esebenzisa isipelingi esikuyona le ncwadi uKane ayecabanga ukuthi uyifihle ngokucophelela, uMalaki wayembophe ngesiqalekiso, engakwazi ukunyakaza noma ukukhuluma... engakwazi nokuzivikela. Wabe esekhipha icici lika-Kane legazi elalimvumela ukuthi ahambe emini. Amatshe egazi ake aba nge-vampire yokuqala, uSyn.
U-Kane wake wabuza ukuthi kwakungenzeka kanjani ukuthi kube khona okokuqala futhi impendulo yamthusa.
USyn wayefike yedwa kulomhlaba, elimele futhi elambile. Insizwa yayimtholile kanti endlaleni uSyn wayesethathe igazi lakhe. I-vampire yasheshe yafunda ukuthi abantu baleli zwe babeyizidalwa ezibuthakathaka, umphefumulo wabo wawuyobashiya uma ehlanganyela igazi lakhe, ngethemba lokudala umndeni kule planethi. Kodwa lapho imiphefumulo yabo isihambile, yayingasenamsebenzi kuye futhi ingaphezudlwana nje kwezilo.
Phakathi nokuphila kwakhe okungapheli, uSyn wayethole kuphela abantu abathathu abanjalo abagcine imiphefumulo yabo… baba izingane zakhe. Umehluko kuphela ukuthi uma sebephendukile, ilanga lalishisa ... libashiye kanye nezingane zakubo eziyisilo ukuze bacashe emini. Lokhu kwakungakaze kube yinkinga emhlabeni kaSyn ngenxa yetshe legazi.
Izingubo eziwugqinsi ayezigqokile uSyn zazivela kwelakhe izwe futhi zenziwe ngetshe legazi. Ekhumula ucezu lwelinye lamabhande asengalo, wawenza indandatho, umgexo, necici elilodwa. UKane uphinde waphakamisa isandla wathinta icici abelifakile.
Lapho itshe legazi lalimnike khona impilo ejwayelekile… bekuyincwadi kaSyn yeziphonso ebikade yaba ukuwa kukaKane. USyn wayewushiyele owakhethwa ukuba awusebenzise kahle ngesikhathi elele. Ngaphakathi kwayo kwakukhona isilingo esibi, indlela yokubeka phansi izingane ezingenamphefumulo uma ziba yingozi kakhulu kubantu.
Njengoba isipelingi esibi sasisetshenziswa kuye, u-Kane wayekwazi ukubuka ngamehlo amnyama, angacwayizi njengoba umngane wakhe wangaphambili efaka inhlabathi emnyama phezu kwakhe. Into yokugcina akhumbula eyibona kwakuyinkanyezi egcwele isibhakabhaka phezu kwehlathi lezihlahla.
Ubumnyama babudla wonke futhi buthule. Ikhubalo lalimgcina eboshiwe kodwa wayezizwa izinto emhlabeni zishibilika phezu kwakhe. Izidalwa ezincane, ezifayo ezazigwema ukudla inyama yakhe efile kodwa ngokungazi zawuluma umphefumulo wakhe.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, wacabanga ukuthi useyahlanya, wabe eseqala ukuzwa imisindo njalo… amazwi. Babemukelekile kuye ejele lakhe futhi wayelangazelela ukuzwa okwengeziwe. Ngezinye izikhathi wayezwa imindeni yonke, futhi ngezinye izikhathi wayezwa abantu abadala kuphela.
Ngezinye izikhathi wayezama ukulwa nesilingo, acele usizo noma abe uhlobo oluthile lwenkampani yakhe. Umlingo wambamba wamqinisa, wamenza waphelelwa amandla ngokuphelele. Wayazi ukuthi lesi siphongo… wayesisebenzise ezilo. Kwakuwumlingo oyinkimbinkimbi owawudinga igazi lomuntu othandekayo ukuze amkhulule. Isipelingi sothando esinamandla kangangokuthi umlingani womphefumulo wesisulu kuphela ongaphuka.
Yayihlale isebenza nama-vampires angenamphefumulo ngoba kwakufanele ube nomphefumulo ukuze ubize umlingani womphefumulo. Wayesebenzise lesi silingo izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa ukuze asuse emhlabeni izingane zakubo ezingamademoni ezibulala ezazingazi lutho ngaphandle kokunxanela igazi.
U-Kane wahleka ngokudabukisayo ngenkumbulo ebuhlungu yokwazi ukuthi wayezobhujiswa... ngoba wayengenaye umngane womshado. Okungenani wayengakaze ahlangane nempicabadala enjalo. Futhi uma enalo, kwakungenakwenzeka ukuthi avele akhubeke ethuneni lakhe ngesikhathi esopha. UMalaki wayedabuke kakhulu ... wayemthanda umkakhe kangangokuthi wayefuna uKane azi ukujula kothando olunjalo futhi akulangazelela.
Ukulangazelela wakwenza. Izikhathi eziningi wayekhala izinyembezi, ecela noma yini unkulunkulu angalalela, alethe umngane wakhe womphefumulo kuye ukuze akhululeke. Ukube wambulala ngempela unkosikazi womngane wakhe, bekuyoba isijeziso esifanele. Kodwa wayemsulwa ebugebengwini obunjalo.
Ngobunye ubusuku, ngemva kwesikhathi eside eselahle ithemba ... wakuzwa. Umsindo ocacile wokubhonga kukaMalaki wadabula inkulumo yakhe yangaphakathi, ehambisana nokunye ukuklabalasa kobulwane. Kwathi esashaqekile, wezwa izwi lentombazanyana ngenhla kwakhe imemeza ithi bangawulimazi umdlwane wayo.
Umsindo wezwi lakhe elincane, elithukile waphula okuthile ngaphakathi kuye, wamenza wafisa ukukhululeka, ukuze amvikele esilweni ebusuku.
‘UMalaki ngeke alimaze umdlwane wakho omncane,’ kusho uKane engqondweni.
Kwakuyiqiniso. UMalaki wayengeke alimaze muntu ngaphandle uma bemonile kakhulu ngandlela thize... ikakhulukazi ingane. Ukwazi ukuthi umngane wakhe wayesendaweni ethile ngaphezu kwakhe, u-Kane wezwa inhlansi yokuphila ibuyela kuye. Wacasuka lapho intombazane iphinda imemeza futhi wezwa into ehlala kanzima phansi. Igazi… wezwa iphunga legazi elalisanda kuchitheka ligeleza emhlabathini othambile libheke kuye.
Kwakuyinto eyamukelekayo kakhulu ake wahlangabezana nayo. Iphunga langena emqondweni wakhe futhi lacishe lamqhubezela ekuhlanyeni okukhulu, azi ukuthi wayengakwazi ukufinyelela kulo. Wayebuthakathaka kakhulu ngenxa yokuchitha isikhathi esiningi engaphuzi nokukodwa… omele ukufa kodwa engafi. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho ezwa omunye umunwe wakhe udikiza.
UKane wagxila kulokhu futhi wabeka okwakusele engqondweni yakhe ukuthi azame ukunyakaza. Wezwa izinsuku zihamba, ezisekela ekushiseni akuzwa phansi phezu kwakhe. Iphunga legazi lamzungeza manje, limqhubezela phambili. Ekugcineni, wakwazi ukusebenza kancane kancane izingalo zakhe futhi waqala inqubo ehamba kancane yokuzama ukuzimbela ithuna lakhe.
Kwadlula izinsuku eziningi futhi lapho isandla sakhe ekugcineni sigqashuka, wakhala izinyembezi zenjabulo. Ezikhipha obhuqwini, uKane wavula amehlo akhe wagqolozela phezulu, ehleka cishe ngokuhlanya lapho ebona isibhakabhaka esimnyama nezinkanyezi phezulu. Lapho ebheka phansi, wabona indwangu eyayinamathonsi amancane egazi omile. Ayithathe, ayibeke emakhaleni ehogela iphunga legazi elimkhululile.
Egcine isikhumbuzo somsindisi wakhe esibambe ngqi esibhakeleni, waphakamisa wonke umzimba wakhe phansi. UMalaki kanye nomkhumbi owabulala umka-jaguar babelele befile nje amamitha ambalwa ukusuka ethuneni layo.
Ebabheka ngasehlathini, wayazi ukuthi intombazane yayikade ihambile kodwa uKane wayeqiniseka ukuthi ingane yayiwumngane wakhe womphefumulo. Ubani omunye owayengaphula isipelingi uMalaki asibeka kuye?
Ebuthakathaka kakhulu ukuyofuna intombazane, uKane wakhasa waya kuMalaki, ebonakala ethinta ngesisa esihlathini sendoda. Ephendulela ubuso bakhe kuye, ukuphefumula kukaKane kwamshiya edidekile. UMalaki wayefake icici letshe legazi. Icici lakhe!
Ngesikhashana nje sokucasuka nokunyakaza okushesha kakhulu ukukubona, u-Kane wasukuma ebambe icici esibhakeleni. Ebheka ngale kuNathaniel, indoda eyayimbulele, uKane waqoqa ubumnyama bumzungezile njengengubo futhi wanyamalala ebumnyameni.
U-Kane wakhipha umoya futhi wabuka intuthu itshuza emoyeni, yagoqa phambi kwakhe ngaphambi kokuphephuka nomoya. Uchithe iminyaka eyishumi edlule ezulazula amazwe ngamazwe, izwekazi nezwekazi, efunda konke ayekugeje ngesikhathi egwetshwa iminyaka engamashumi amathathu ejele.
Waqinisa amandla akhe kancane kancane, eqala ngomdlwane omhlophe wase-Yorkie awuthole uthuthumela esihlahleni esingcwelisiwe kulelo hlathi. Kwakuyisilwane esifuywayo sothile futhi wayezizwa ezisola ngokwenza into enjalo, kodwa isidingo sokudla sasinamandla kunecala lakhe ngaleso sikhathi.
Ngemva kokuba esedlile waqaphela ukuthi umdlwane ngeyengane eyayimkhululile. Ezwa inhlansi encane yokuphila isengaphakathi kwebhola elincane loboya, wenza into embi kakhulu. Eluma isihlakala sakhe, u-Kane waphoqa amaconsi ambalwa ukuthi awele olimini lwayo olubomvana wabe esebeka umdlwane phansi ezibuza ukuthi wenzani. Ngeke kusebenze… ngabe?
Wayemsindise kabili futhi engazi. Inkumbulo yezwi lakhe ethukile yayisenamandla okumqhaqhazela ebuthongweni obukhulu. Wafisa sengathi ngabe uyambona...ethi shazi nje ahambe nezwi elalimphethe.
Efake isandla ephaketheni lakhe, akhiphe ukhololo omncane agqolozele isigqebhezana esimise okwethambo esikulo. Wayesazi isibongo kodwa ikheli elikulo lalingasasebenzi... kwase kuphele iminyaka. Lapho ekugcineni efunda ukusebenza ikhompuyutha, wayesesha kodwa abazali bentombazane base beshonile futhi indlu isidayisiwe. Indodakazi ayenesiqiniseko sokuthi yiyo emkhululile yabe isinyamalele kungaziwa muntu.
UKane waphonsa usikilidi wakhe ngonyawo lwakhe lwesokunxele wase ewugxoba. Lapho ebuyela e-Los Angeles, wabuyela ngokushesha eqenjini uMalaki ake wahlala kulo futhi wagijima, wathola ukuthi selidayisiwe futhi izingane zakhe sezithuthele ekhelini elisha. Le ndawo entsha yake yaba yindawo yokugcina impahla engasasetshenziswa, kodwa ama-jaguar ayesanda kulungisa futhi ayenza iklabhu yasebusuku ukuze ihambisane nezikhathi. Manje izingane zikaMalaki zaziphethe lesi sikhungo.
Wanikina ikhanda ezibuza ukuthi uMalaki angenza kanjani ukuthi ashade futhi azi ukuthi umthanda kangakanani unkosikazi wakhe wokuqala. Wayekade engumngane wakhe womphefumulo futhi nakuba abashintshashintshayo baziwa ngezifiso zabo zobulili, uma sebehlangene nomlingani wabo womphefumulo cishe kwakungenakwenzeka ukuthanda omunye.
Lapho uKane eseyicwaningile, waphawula ukuthi unkosikazi omusha kaMalaki wayemzalele izingane ezine wabe eseshona lapho ebeletha indodana yabo encane uNick.
UMalaki wayeshone ngobusuku ezwe ukubhonga ngaphansi komhlaba, kodwa u-Kane wayesasizwa isidingo sokuziphindiselela ngaphakathi kwakhe. Cishe wonke ama-vampires azalwa ebumnyameni futhi mhlawumbe uSyn wayenephutha ngokuthi wayehluke kakhulu kubafowabo ababi. Mhlawumbe nje ukulahlekelwa ingqondo yakhe iminyaka engamashumi amathathu ehlukumezayo kwase kwenze umonakalo owanele lapho manje wayengekho ngaphandle. Umqondo wakhe wawusesendaweni emnyama lapho uMalaki ayembeke khona.
Ngokuqondene no-Kane, kwakuyizingwe ezazidonsa igazi kuqala. Manje wayesebuyile ukuzokhothamela ngendlela efanayo... kulo lonke uhlanga olubi lwabashintshashintshayo, kuqala ngezingane zikaMalaki. O, kodwa ubengeke agcine lapho. Okulandelayo kuzoba izingane zomshicileli owayemfake uhlaka... uNathaniel Wilder.
Ukudala abalandeli ukuze bamnikeze igazi kwakungenzima. U-Kane wayesamangazwe yonke indawo ye-Goth engaphansi komhlaba edolobheni elingaphakathi. Abaningi babo babephupha nje ngokuba yilokho ayeyikho… ivampire yangempela esikhundleni se-Goth wanna-be.
Okwakufanele akwenze kwakuwukuvula eyodwa, bese eshiya isingezansi sakhe esingenamphefumulo ukuze azenzele ezakhe izinto. Ukhethe oyingozi kakhulu eqenjini… lowo obekubonakala sengathi ulahlekelwe umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yobumnyama. I-Raven, isikhohlakali, owayekade engungqondongqondo emngceleni njengomuntu… isilahliwe saseGoth, esasilambele igazi kudala ngaphambi kokuba libe nesidingo salo sangempela.
URaven uyena kuphela umuntu uKane ake amxoxela mayelana nezigigaba ezimjamelayo bese zimngcwaba ephila. Wayengazi ukuthi kungani etshele iRaven ... isithukuthezi mhlawumbe.
UKane wayekhulule isigebengu edolobheni. I-Raven yayithukuthelele umhlaba ngaphambi kokuba izalwe kabusha njengengane yobusuku futhi manje uKane wayemnike ithuba lokuphuma ngaleyo ntukuthelo. URaven wayezibophezele ekuziphindiseleleni egameni likaKane futhi i-vampire engenamphefumulo yasebenzisa amakhono akhe amasha ngokugcwele.
Akazange azihluphe ngokuzama ukukhuluma iRaven ngoba yayihambisana kahle nezinhlelo zakhe zokumisela wonke umndeni kaMalaki ngokuwa. Kungani evikela abaguquli eRaven? Okukhulu ayekunikeze kwakuwukutshela umfana ukuthi kwakungadingeki abulale abantu ukuze azondle, ukuthi kwakungafanele enze noma yimuphi umonakalo, uma engafuni. Kwakungelona iphutha lakhe ukuthi uRaven akhethe ukufa.
Isikhathi sokuqala uRaven ebulele kwaba ukuphela kwesikhathi uKane angena ngaso, wabamba umfana ngaphambi kokuba ashiye abafileyo belele nophawu lwe-vampire endaweni yokubuka kalula kwabantu. Ukugcina imfihlo yakhe yomusa kwakugxile ekuzivikeleni kwakhe futhi wayesekhohliwe ukwabelana ngaleyo mfihlo noRaven. U-Kane wabe esembonisa indlela yokusika phakathi kwezimpawu ze-fang futhi akwenze kubukeke njengokubulala okudabukisayo okulula.
URaven ubekade etshale izisulu zakhe eduze kweUmdanso Wenyanga ukuze iziphathimandla zizithole. Kwakuyilungiselelo eliphelele. Ama-vampires amaningi ayemabi ngokwemvelo ngakho u-Kane wayechithe ingxenye enkulu yempilo yakhe engafanga lapho kubabulali. Ukubona lo mfana ebulala kwakubonakala kungokwemvelo kohlobo lwakhe.
Ukube u-Syn wayephapheme ukuze abone ukubulawa kwabantu, wayezokhipha umhlaba osizini ngokubulala iRaven noma ngokumbophela ethuneni. Manje njengoba uKane ethole isijeziso esinjalo, angakhetha ukufa ngokushesha.
Ngaphambi kokuxoshwa kwakhe, wayekade engabangane nenye ivampire… UMichael. Babendawonye isikhathi eside kunalokho omunye wabo ayengase akukhumbule noma ayekufuna. Bobabili babephiwe amatshe egazi ngoba babeyigcinile imiphefumulo yabo... bona nomfowabo kaMichael uDamon.
UMikayeli wayeyindoda elungile... esesohlangothini lwezingelosi njengoba zisho, nakuba wayezwile ngomvini ukuthi uDamoni wayenohlangothi olumnyama futhi wayewukhipha kumfowabo. Mhlawumbe wayezomvakashela kancane uDamon ngemva kokuba eseqedile lapha futhi amfundise imikhuba ethile. U-Kane wazibuza ngombango wezingane zakini ngokuzumayo ngoba uMichael wayemthanda umfowabo ... kodwa izinto zazihlale zinendlela yokushintsha.
U-Kane wayengafuni ukuthi uMichael azi ububi ithuna elalishiye bukhasa ngaphakathi kuye. Uchithe isikhathi sakhe emasontweni ambalwa edlule ebukele uMichael ekude. Wayazi ukuthi uMichael kanye nendodana endala ye-jaguar, u-Warren, base bengabangane… njengoba nje yena noMalaki babekade baba.
Abashintshi babengamambuka futhi uMichael wayengakatholi lelo qiniso elincane. Ngokususa ama-shifts endleleni, uzobe esenzela uMichael okokugcina… ngenxa yezikhathi zakudala.
UKane waphakamisa isandla, wathinta icici elalihlala itshe legazi azi ukuthi lalihlale limvimbela ekubulaleni abantu. Uma umphefumulo wakhe wawumubi ngempela, khona-ke umlingo ongaphakathi kwetshe legazi wawungeke umsebenzele. Wayehlale ezibuza ukuthi kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi uMalaki alishaye indiva lelo qiniso elilula... ubufakazi bobumsulwa bakhe babuphambi kwakhe.
Akunandaba... Wayechithe iminyaka engamashumi amathathu ejele lakhe ngento ayengayenzanga. "ukuphindisela kuzoba isihogo bangane bami."
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"Umthengisi ngocingo?" Kubuza uChad ezama ukukufihla ukuthi usinekile, kanti udadewabo omncane walushaya ucingo lwaze lwawa odongeni. Yawela phansi yaphahlazeka.
Umona wakhahlela ucingo phansi ehholo enza sengathi ikhanda lesoka lakhe ngaphambi kokuvulela umfowabo. “Niyizinja nonke, noma yilezi engijola nazo?”
U-Chad uphakamise izandla zakhe ekhombisa ukuzinikela, “Ngokubona kwami, amantombazane mabi ngendlela efanayo. Yehlisa umoya utshele ubhuti ukuthi kwenzekeni.”
Umona wabeka isiphongo sakhe phezu kokubanda kodonga. Wenqaba ngisho nokuphuma unyembezi olulodwa ukuze abaleke. Wayengamthandi uTrevor ngokwanele ukuba akhale ngaye futhi wayesekhathele kakhulu yibo bonke abafana ababentula ngandlela thize. “UJason usanda kufona engibuza. Wacabanga ukuthi angishadile futhi ngoba usanda kuhlangana noTrevor eklabhu yokudansa entsha. Ubeshaya enye intombazane khona lapho endaweni yokudansa.”
Wanikina ikhanda uChad. Angeke amzwele uTrevor uma udadewabo embeka izandla. "Sizohamba kanjani-ke ejuxuza?" wakhipha ishiya, engafuni ukuphuthelwa lokhu emhlabeni.
Umona wamamatheka, ethanda lowo mbono, “Nginike imizuzu eyishumi ukuze ngizilungiselele.”
UChad wavuma ngekhanda wahlala phansi onqenqemeni lukasofa wacofa irimothi ukuze abuke izindaba, nakuba ayenganakile. Wayengafuni ukuthi athandane noTrevor noma kunjalo. Wayazi ukuthi lo mfana wenza njengawo wonke umMelika, ocebile, owalungiselela ikolishi ukuze nje alahle wonke umuntu, kodwa lokho kwakungasho ukuthi wayemthanda eqamba amanga kumona ngokuthi wayengubani ngempela. Uma uTrevor ezolala naye, kusho ukuthi kwakudingeka okungenani azi iqiniso lokuthi wayebhuqa bani.
Ukuqala ubuhlobo ngaphandle kokuqamba amanga kwakungeyona indlela engcono kakhulu. Uma uzoqamba amanga, akufanele uhileleke kwasekuqaleni. Wavalela uTrevor ekhoneni ngesikhathi egcina ukumbona esiteshini futhi watshela osebenzela umshoshaphansi ukuthi atshele umona iqiniso ngalokho akwenzayo noma ahlukane naye. Kwakungelona iphutha lakhe uTrevor akazange alalele muntu ngaphandle kwakhe.
Kwamcasula ukucabanga ukuthi uTrevor kungenzeka ukuthi usebenzisa umona ngenkathi enza umsebenzi womshoshaphansi endaweni yokucima ukoma. Njengoba engumdlali wotshwala emakilabhini amaningi, kunikeze uTrevor isizathu sokumlandela angene emabhilidini ngaphambi kokuthi avule futhi ahlale aze avale. Ukuba lapho ngaphandle kwezihlwele kuvumela uTrevor ukuthi acuphe kakhulu futhi umona awuzange uhlakaniphe kakhulu.