Umdanso WeNyanga - Incwadi Yochungechunge Yegazi Eliboshiwe 1

IsandulelaI-Angeles National Forest iyikhaya lama-cougar ayingozi nama-jaguar avela kwamanye amazwe azulazula ehlathini elikhulu. Kwesinye isikhathi, ngobusuku obucwathile, amanani abo akhula isikhashana njengoba ama-LA ayeyizilwane, noma abaguquguqukayo njengoba abantu bendabuko sebebazi, bazulazula ezweni elingaphethwe muntu phakathi kwabazala babo abakude. Yilobo busuku lapho izilwane zangempela zizingela emihumeni yazo kuyilapho izilwane ezidla ezinye ezivela edolobheni zihlasela indawo yazo isikhathi eside ngokwanele ukuba zizingele, noma ngezikhathi ezingavamile, zixazulule izimpi ezingenakuxazululeka endaweni yabantu. Akukho lutho olubi ukwedlula lapho labo abashintshashintshayo belwa futhi, uma oyedwa wabo elimele, baba yingozi kubantu njengabalingani babo bezilwane. Ukuze kuvikelwe abantu abahlala phakathi kwabo, izingxabano ezishintshashintshayo, uma kungenzeka, zihlale zenziwa ngaphandle kwalabo bantu futhi indawo engcono kakhulu ingaphakathi ekuzingeleni kwabo. Kulobubusuku ihlathi lithule ngokumangazayo njengoba abanikazi ababili bekilabhu enkulu phakathi kwedolobha bengena endaweni engafuyiwe, bekhumula izingubo emihlane yabo ukuze bakhulule isilwane sabo sangaphakathi. Namuhla ebusuku bebezingela ithuna le-vampire engababhubhisa bobabili. Ekujuleni kwehlathi lapho kungekho muntu owayebezwa khona, uMalaki, umholi wesizwe sama-jaguar, wagijima ebumnyameni eya esitheni sakhe... indoda okwakungafanele amethembe kuyo umngane wakhe omkhulu. Inhloso yakhe kwaba omunye oshintshashintshayo, lona onegazi lecougar eligijima emithanjeni yakhe, uNathaniel Wilder… umlingani wakhe webhizinisi iminyaka engu-30 edlule. UMalaki wangena endaweni evulekile wathola uNathaniel emi lapho emlindile esesimweni somuntu. Ukuthatha amagxathu ambalwa ukuya phambili, kwakunjengokusuka kwesinye isimo ukuya kwesinye njengoba uMalaki ebuyela esimweni sakhe sobuntu. Bobabili babeyingozi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bashintshela kuluphi uhlobo. Njengabantu bobabili babebasubathi benemisipha eqinile eqinile ngaphansi kwesikhumba esithambile. Abashintshi babephuza ukuguga futhi womabili amadoda ayengakaze abukeke esedlule iminyaka engu-30 nakuba ayeseminyakeni yawo-50. Ukube lena bekuyifilimu yaseHollywood, bekuyothatha imizuzu embalwa ukuthi ishintshwe kambi, kodwa lokhu bekuyiqiniso futhi bezingekho izilo eziconsa amathe kulokhu kucwengwa. Ubunqunu babungeyona into eshintshashintshayo futhi inyanga yabengezela njengokukhanya ngokugqashuka kwamafu esiphepho ngaphezu kwabo. "Akumele kufike kulokhu," kusho uNathaniel, ngenkathi ebambe izintambo ngesikhathi ezama ukukhuluma nomngane wakhe. "Ngilalele! Kwakuyiminyaka engamashumi amathathu edlule futhi izinto sezishintshile… sengishintshile.” “Amanga eminyaka engamashumi amathathu!” Kwaduma uMalaki, izwi lakhe linanela endaweni ecwebileyo. Amehlo akhe abheke lapho angcwaba khona uKane futhi wezwa ukudonswa komswakama kuhlangana emehlweni akhe. "Ngenxa yakho, ngimbophele uKane othulini ... ngenxa yakho ngimshiyile iminyaka engamashumi amathathu!" “Angikwazi ukukuvumela ukuthi ummbe, Malaki! Uyazi ukuthi kuzokwenzekani uma wenza kanjalo,” uNathaniel wabuka ethukile njengoba uMalaki ebuka ngokulangazela ithuna lendoda eyake yaba umngane wakhe omkhulu. Wayengakaze akuqonde. UKane wayeyi-vampire futhi eyingozi. U-Kane ubuye waba enye yezinto ezimbili ezimile endleleni yokubambisana okwakhiwa phakathi kwama-jaguar nama-cougars ... U-Kane no-Malaki omuhle, okhohlisayo, unkosikazi okhohlisayo uCarlotta. UNathaniel wayemthanda kuqala. Wayengaqondile ukuthi kwenzeke ngale ndlela. Ekugcineni, uNathaniel wayeyixazulule inkinga ngolaka olunomona… ebulala izinyoni ezimbili ngesikhathi esisodwa. “Ubengumngane wami omkhulu futhi akakaze angikhaphele! Nguwe ongigwaze emhlane!” UMalaki wacwayiza izinyembezi zokufutheka, wasondela, wathinta icici ayelifakile; Icici lika-Kane. Wayenzeni? Lapho ethola u-Kane egobele umkakhe oshonile, wayema kancane edidekile, kwaze kwaba yilapho uNathaniel eqinisekisa uKane njengombulali. Wayefele khona lapha kule nsimu, ngakho wayecabange ukuthi kulungile ukubophela uKane kulelizwe... Waze weba incwadi ka-Kane yokupela futhi wayisebenzisa ngokumelene naye ukuziphindiselela. Yebo, uNathaniel wayeqinisile ngento eyodwa. Ama-vampires amaningi ayemabi, kodwa kwakukhona okuhlukile futhi uKane wayengomunye wabo. Kodwa akukho okubi okwedlula lokho ayekwenzile yena. Lesi sipelingi singahlehliswa kuphela umlingani womphefumulo ka-Kane. UMalaki wayecabanga ukuthi kuyahlekisa ngaleso sikhathi ngoba u-Kane wayengenaminyaka kodwa engakaze ahlangane nomlingani wakhe womphefumulo. Esikhathini esidlule, yena noKane babevame ukwenza amahlaya ukuthi owesifazane onjalo ngeke azalwe. Umqondo wakhe wabuyela emamathekeni kaKane njengoba ayethi, 'unkulunkulu kuzofanele abe nomuzwa wokuhlekisa ukuze akhe owesifazane ozobekezelela eminye imigilingwane yakhe.' "Ube ngaphansi lapho isikhathi eside kakhulu." Kuxwayisa uNathaniel. "Ngalolo hlobo lwenkanuko yegazi kanye nokusangana okumgibele ... uma ukhulula uKane manje, uzosibulala kuphela." Ikhanda likaMalaki lanqamuka futhi wagqolozela uNathaniyeli. "Kuzomele angibulale ngoba uzobe usufile." Njengoba usongo olukhishiwe, womabili amadoda aphinde ashintsha ezilwaneni zawo. ***** Emaphethelweni enkundla yokukhempa eseduze nomdlalo omkhulu wokulondolozwa kwegeyimu uTabatha King, noma u-Tabby njengoba wonke umuntu wayembiza kanjalo, wayehlezi ezitebhisini zekhempa enkulu yomzali wakhe ebheke phezulu ezinkanyezini ezilunguza emafini aminyene. Wawakhipha emehlweni ejabulela ukuthi ekugcineni seliyekile ukuna. Wayeqala ngqa ukukhempa futhi into yokugcina ayefuna ukuyenza kwakuwukumpintshana ngaphakathi e-RV. Ubejabule kakhulu ngalolu hambo futhi wajabula nakakhulu lapho bevuma ukuletha inja encane yomndeni iScrappy. Kwakudinga ukuncenga kakhulu, kodwa ngemva kokuthembisa ukunakekela umngane wakhe omncane omkhulu, umdlwane wase-Yorkie, ekugcineni wayebazuzele abazali bakhe ababemathintanyawo. Njengamanje uScrappy wayekhonkotha ebumnyameni, enyakaza entanjeni yakhe, efuna ukujaha izithunzi ezazimnakile. Intombazanyana yethuka ngesikhathi uScrappy evele ekhumula intambo yakhe egijima. Wasukuma ezitebhisini zensimbi lapho umdlwane udatshuza esikhaleni esincane esingaphansi kothango oluhlukanisa inkundla yesiqiwu. “Cha impela!” UTabby wakhala wagijima elandela inja. Abazali bakhe babemethembile ukuthi ngeke amlahlekele. Afike ame ocingweni adonse umoya egqolozele ubumnyama bezihlahla. "Angilona igwala." Waluma udebe lwakhe olungezansi ngokuzimisela ngaphambi kokuba aguqe ngamadolo ukuze aphenye ngokuvuleka. Ngemva kokuklwebheka okuncane, wayengena embotsheni efanayo ocingweni futhi egijima ehlathini elandela umsindo wokuzamula okude. “Uzongifaka enkingeni,” ehleba kabuhlungu, wabe eseqala ukuchofoza ulimi lwakhe azi ukuthi umdlwane uvame ukuzwa umsindo. "Tabby, ukuphi?" Emuva kwakhe, uTabatha wezwa unina ebiza kodwa wayezimisele kakhulu ukubuyisela inja yakhe ekamu. UScrappy wayeyinja yakhe futhi kwakufanele ayinakekele. Ngakho esikhundleni sokubuyela kunina noma kumdlwane, wahlala ethule futhi walandela umsindo wokukhonkotha okuphakeme kukaScrappy. Akuphelanga sikhathi esingakanani uThabatha kwadingeka ame umzuzu abambe umoya. Ancike esihlahleni abeke izandla emadolweni angcolile ephefumula elalele nemisindo yehlathi. Wayehlale efuna ukuma phakathi nehlathi futhi alalele njengoba kwenza amaNdiya kumamuvi we-TV. Amafu emvula ayehlukene isikhashana abuya nokukhanya kwenyanga okugqamile kwanyamalala kungazelelwe. Amehlo akhe avuleka lapho ebona ukuthi akasawaboni amalambu endaweni yokukhempa. Ethatha igxathu lokuzama ukuya phambili, waqalaza ngapha nangapha kodwa konke akubona kwakuwubumnyama, izigxobo zesihlahla zingabonakali, ngisho namathunzi amnyama. Wahayiza lapho kuzwakala into ezwakala buqamama ngemuva kwakhe. Ngokunquma ukuthi akayithandi leyo ndlela, wasuka egijima engabheki emuva. Ngemva kwalokho okwakubonakala kungunaphakade, wezwa uScrappy ekhonkotha futhi wagijima waqonda kuleyo ndawo ngethemba lokuthi noma yini eyayibhodla umlilo yayingamjahi. Wezwa omunye ukukhala kodwa kulokhu kuvela ndawana thize phambi kwakhe. Emba izithende phansi, wazama ukushibilika ukuze ame kodwa inhlabathi yayimbozwe amaqabunga acwebile kanye nodaka lwemvula. Esikhundleni sokuma, washibilika nangokwengeziwe ngohlangothi lwakhe ngaphambi kokwehla kancane kancane. Umoya waphuma kuye ngesikhathi umzimba wakhe ushayisa isihlahla esiwile simisa ukushibilika kwakhe. Into yokuqala ayiqaphela ngemva kokubamba umoya ukuthi uScrappy wayengasakhonkothi. Waphinda wezwa ukukhala wase ekhuphuka ephindela egqumeni lapho ezwa ukuhayiza okuthambile. Ephakamisa amadolo akhe, alunguze phezu kwesiqu somuthi futhi abone indawo encane lapho ukukhanya kwenyanga kukhanya khona ngqo phansi. Khona lapho phakathi nendawo kwakukhona uScrappy, ekhala sengathi ushaywe yinja emgwaqeni ekhaya. Umdlwane wawuyisicaba phansi futhi ukhasa uhlehla. Amehlo akhe aluhlaza avuleka lapho ebona ukuthi kungani. Izilwane ezimbili zazisondelana kancane kancane endaweni evulekile futhi uScrappy wayephakathi nendawo. "Dummy," uTabby ehefuzela ngaphansi. Wabona izilwane ezithombeni uyise ayembonise zona ngaphambi kokuba zithathe uhambo. Omunye wayeyi-cougar kanti omunye wambona kumabonakude… i-jaguar. Wayethanda ukubuka izinhlelo zezilwane futhi wayengafinyi njengoba umama wakhe ayenjalo ngesikhathi izilwane kumabonakude zizama ukuhlaselana. Kodwa lokhu kwakuhlukile... kwakungokoqobo futhi kuthusa kancane. Kwakungamakati angakudla, amakhulu futhi. Izilwane ezinomusa zazungezana zodwa zigquma ekujuleni komphimbo futhi amehlo azo ayecwebezela kuhle kwamandondo egolide. Umsindo obulalayo uqhutshekwa nomoya, uphephetha ubheke kuThabatha elokhu ebabuka ethukile. “Woza Scrappy,” ehleba, ethemba ukuthi amakati amakhulu awamuzwa. "Woza lapha ngaphambi kokuba omunye wabo akunyathele." Wayezothi ‘idla wena’ kodwa wayengafuni ukwesabisa umdlwane ompofu njengoba wawuvele unjalo. Amakati avele ahayiza enza uThabatha avale izindlebe zakhe ngezintende zezandla zakhe ngoba kwakunomsindo omkhulu futhi owesabekayo. Zagijima ngesivinini esiphezulu endaweni evulekile, okwenza uScrappy afake umsila wakhe phakathi kwemilenze yakhe futhi ancinze ngenxa yokwesaba. Ebona umdlwane ohlukumezekile, uTabatha wagaqa esihlahleni wagijima ebheke eScrappy ngokushesha okukhulu. Wayeseduze noScrappy kunamakati futhi wajuba phansi, ngokushesha wavala umzimba wakhe omncane ngowakhe ngesikhathi lezi zilwane ezimbili zigxuma zashayisana emoyeni ngenhla kwakhe ngqo. "Ngicela ungayilimazi inja yami!" ememeza. Waphinde waklabalasa lapho izinzipho ezibukhali zimdonsa ingalo enye iklaba emhlane. Amakati ashaya phansi ngemuva kwakhe ngokuhlokoma kwethambo, egquma futhi eklabalasa. Wasala egobile uScrappy owayelokhu evevezela futhi elokhu ebhaklaza kancane, engalinge ebuka izilwane ezazilwa nje izinyawo ezimbalwa ngemva kwakhe. UThabatha wesaba ukunyakaza wabambelela enja eyiqinise ngangokunokwenzeka. Amehlo akhe ayewacimezile waqala wahlebela uScrappy ukuba agijime ayofuna usizo, uma elinye lamakati naye limtholile. Kwafafazwa okuthile okumanzi nokufudumala emhlane wakhe kodwa akazange anyakaze. Ekugcineni, impi yanqamuka futhi wazibheka ehlombe. Waqhaqhazela wakhala ebona amadoda amabili elele emva kwakhe egcwele igazi. Asukume kancane uThabatha aguqe ngamadolo ephethe uScrappy bese ehlehla. Yayishonephi i-cougar ne-jaguar? Ingabe bahlasela lamadoda amabili base bebaleka? Kungani amadoda ayengenazo izingubo? UNathaniel wavele wavula amehlo akhe futhi wamkhiphela amazinyo abukhali kakhulu. UThabatha wakhubeka ehlehla wacishe wawa kodwa wabuye wavuka. U-Scrappy waphinda waklewula lapho ukugquma kwendoda kulingisa okwe-cougar futhi ilwela ukuphuma ezingalweni zikaTabby. Wabaleka wayongena ehlathini ememeza uvalo. Wadlikiza uMalaki njengoba igazi ligobhoza esifubeni sakhe. Avule umlomo abhonge izwi elilodwa ebhekise entombini. “Baleka!” izwi lakhe laphetha ngokukhala kwejaguar okungena ezindlebeni. UThabatha akazange acabange kabili ngokulalela. Waphenduka ezithendeni wabaleka ephuma egcekeni engasalokothi abheke emuva. Wayengenandaba nokuthi uyaphi; kuphela ukuthi wabaleka kumadoda ayesabekayo egcwele igazi. ***** “Ngiyabonga futhi izindaba zasekhaya lezi. Namuhla ebusuku umndeni wendawo unesizathu sokugubha. Indodakazi yabo, uTabatha, yagcina itholakele izulazula e-Angeles National Forest ngemva kokuduka ezinsukwini ezintathu ezedlule iphuma endaweni yokukhempa eduze kwaseCrystal Lake iyothola le nja yomndeni. Ngokusobala inja yayizikhulule entanjeni yayo yabalekela ehlathini. Ingane eneminyaka eyisikhombisa yajaha inja ngesibindi futhi yaze yatholakala ekuseni. Ngeshwa, inja ayitholakalanga naye. Ngokusho kwezikhulu, usesibhedlela somphakathi uyelulama ngenxa yokwethuka, njengoba kubonakala sengathi usinde ekuhlaselweni yi-cougar. UTabatha omncane wayelokhu etshela abaqaphi behlathi ngamadoda amabili alimele ehlathini kodwa ngemva kokuseshwa ngokucophelela endaweni engamakhilomitha-skwele ayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu, akutholakalanga lutho. Sizokugcwalisela okwengeziwe ngemva kwehora.”