Iqhwa lazalisa indlu yakhe kwaye licinezele phantsi kwiinzwane zakhe, limenza azive ngathi iinyawo zakhe zisezingxoweni zeplastiki ezinomkhenkce. Wazama ukujikeleza icala lesakhiwo, kodwa iinyawo zakhe zaxinga kwikhephu elinzulu elixengaxengayo. Yayiphantse yafika emadolweni akhe, kwaye inxalenye yobuchopho bakhe eyayingabhalisanga iimpawu ze-opioid overdose ibhalise ubungakanani bekhephu lokothuka.
Waqhubela phambili, ezoba imiqondiso engqondweni yakhe. Andivuki kwaye andiphenduli kwilizwi lam okanye ukubamba. Ngaba ukuphefumla kuyacotha, akuqhelekanga, okanye kuyekile? Ngaba abafundi bakho bancinci? Imilebe eluhlaza? Wawuva umzimba wakhe ungcangcazela yingqele. Eyakhe imilebe inokuba luhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kule mozulu ngoku, kodwa unokwazi njani ukuba iluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ngenxa yokugqithisa ngokweqile okanye kubanda? Ikhephu lanyakazela phantsi komsila wehempe yakhe laze latyibilika lehla ngasemva kwebhulukhwe yakhe. Waqhubeka eshukuma, engayikhathalelanga inkqubela yakhe enzima, eqhubeka ebamba iintsalela zezifundo awayezifundile. Ukubetha kwentliziyo kancinci? I-pulse ebuthathaka? Ukugodola kwakuqengqeleka kumqolo wakhe, kwaye kwakungenanto yakwenza nekhati emanzi incamathele eluswini lwakhe. Yintoni enokuyenza ukuba umfana akaphefumli? Ngaba kufuneka anikwe iCPR kuqala? Iqhina laqina esiswini sakhe, kwaye ingqondo yakhe yaphelelwa ngamandla kuyo yonke into ayifundileyo kwesi sifundo. Amasebe ompayina ajinga phantsi njengeekhethini ezishinyeneyo, ethintela ukubona kwakhe indoda engaphakathi. Isebe laligobe ngaphezu kokuba uNora wayecinga ngenxa yomthi, iinaliti zawo zompayina zihleli phezu kwekhephu, elalifunjwe ngeenaliti eziluhlaza ezincamathele emhlabeni ngobunzima bazo.
Ngala masebe avuthulukileyo, wayekwazi nje ukubona umzobo wakhe, elele phezu kwesiqu esishinyeneyo, intliziyo yakhe ibetha ngokukhawuleza kangangokuba imiphunga yakhe yaxinana. Xa wayeneminyaka esithoba ubudala, waphinda waziphosa emva kwemini, ekhupha inkunkuma rhoqo ngoMvulo. Kwakungekho khephu, kodwa kwakubanda kangangokuba umoya wawumnyama ngokuphefumla kwakhe, kwaye wayegxile kakhulu kangangokuba akazange aqaphele uMario elele engceni emdaka, i-zombies evela kumaphupha akhe amabi. Wakhala kakhulu kangangokuba inja yommelwane yaqalisa ukubhomboloza. Ubusindisile ubomi bakhe, aboncedo lokuqala bamxelela kamva.
Watyhalela kude amalungu akhe aqinileyo wazibona sele ezimela phantsi komthi, etyhalela ecaleni iingcinga zikaMario ukuze avule indawo yebhokisi esesandleni sakhe kunye nendoda ephantsi. Ikhephu kwindawo ekhuselweyo lalingekho nzulu kangako, yaye kwimizuzwana embalwa wayesele esecaleni kwalo, iingcinga zakhe zazinkenteza. Beka abantu emqolo. Thatha isixhobo ngaphandle kwebhokisi kwaye ususe iplastiki. Konke kubonakala kulula njengokumisa i-idiot ekugqithiseni kwi-opioids eklasini. Kodwa loo nto ayithatheli ngqalelo isitshingitshane seqhwa esibe kanye-kwishumi leminyaka okanye ukubanda kweminwe yakho ukubamba iikona zeplastiki ezincinci zephakheji. Wacimela wanikina intloko. Zola, Nora! Waya phambili. Yijonge kuqala. Wangqengqa ngendlela engaqhelekanga, engqiyame esiqwini somthi. Ulusu lomntakwabo lwalungwevu, imilebe yakhe eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, kwaye wayeqinisekile ukuba ufile. Ukuba ubungandifumananga, bathi, ngendifile, yaye kamva wakhupha ilizwi elirhabaxa ebhedini yakhe esibhedlele. Andazi ukuba ngendiyintoni ngaphandle kwakho Pesika.
Imilebe yendoda ibiluhlaza kwaye amehlo evaliwe ukuze angababoni abafundi bakhe. Wabeka iminwe emibini esihlahleni sakhe, kodwa ukufumana ukubetha kwentliziyo yakhe ngeencam zakhe ezibandayo kwabonakala kungumsebenzi ongenakwenzeka, ngoko wabeka intloko yakhe esifubeni sakhe, engabuhoyi uboya obuxutywe nedyasi yakhe, ukunuka okufumileyo kulaphu. Intliziyo yakhe yayibetha, kodwa ngokucothayo—ecotha kakhulu, wacinga—yaye umphefumlo wakhe wawuvakala njengamaza angazange afike elunxwemeni.
“Nora?” Zange ajike. Kwanamaxesha anjalo, ilizwi likaFrodo lisabonakala, kwaye uNora ukude nomanyano wakhe kangangokuba uziva engowasemzini kuye.
Iveki nganye, I-Colorado Sun kunye neColorado Humanities & Centre For The Book ibonisa isicatshulwa esivela kwincwadi yaseColorado kunye nodliwano-ndlebe nombhali. Iveki nganye, I-Colorado Sun kunye neColorado Humanities & Centre For The Book ibonisa isicatshulwa esivela kwincwadi yaseColorado kunye nodliwano-ndlebe nombhali. Каждую неделю I-Colorado Sun kunye ne-Colorado Humanities & Centre For The Book Iveki nganye, iColorado Sun kunye neColorado Humanities & Centre For The Book bapapashe isicatshulwa kwincwadi yaseColorado kunye nodliwano-ndlebe nombhali.Iveki nganye, i-Colorado Sun kunye ne-Colorado Centre yoBuntu kunye neeNcwadi zipapasha izicatshulwa ezivela kwiincwadi zeColorado kunye nodliwano-ndlebe nababhali. Jonga ugcino lweSunLit apha coloradosun.com/sunlit.
“Ndicinga ukuba le ndoda isebenzise iziyobisi ngokugqithisileyo,” utsho, eqhaqhazela amazinyo, ethetha esithintitha. "Kufuneka simgcine emqolo ngamaxesha onke."
UFrado wakwenza oko, yaye uNora wayenombulelo kuba wayengekho yedwa, kwanaxa wayekunye nomntu owayeyazi ngcono kunaye indlela yokusindisa umntu kutywala obugqithisileyo. Iklasi ibiluncedo kodwa iphinde ixole kwaye iphumle, ingenanyani kwaphela. Enyanisweni, yayilivumba lengca eqinileyo eyayisemadolweni akhe, ukunuka kweengxowa zenkunkuma ezingxolayo, izikhalo zoo-anti, nesandi sezibane ze-ambulensi ezibetha ebusweni bomninawa wakhe.
Waphuthaphutha ibhegi, imiphetho emincinci yeplastiki iphuma kwiminwe yakhe emanzi wade wakhwaza ngenxa yodano. “Ipanekuku!”
Wawufaka esandleni sakhe, ebeka ubhontsi wakhe kwipiston kunye neminwe emibini macala omabini omlomo, owawujikeleza emoyeni, eshukumisa izihlunu zakhe. Wayengafuni ukuba le ndoda ife. Hayi xa enokwenza okuthile ukumsindisa. Kutheni elapha, esifa yedwa? Inomfazi omzilelayo? unyana? Ngaba bakhe bahamba ezitalatweni njengaye, bevakalelwa kukuba akuncedi nganto ukukhangela umntu kumngxuma oya ukhula ngokukhula esifubeni sabo? Akayi kumyeka afe, kodwa unoloyiko lokuba sekusemva kwexesha.
Wenyusa isandla sakhe entanyeni yakhe, waphakamisa intloko yakhe wafaka umlomo wakhe kwimpumlo yakhe yasekhohlo de iminwe yakhe ichukumise impumlo yakhe, emva koko wacinezela ezantsi kwiplunger.
I-SunLit inezicatshulwa ezitsha ezivela kwabanye ababhali ababalaseleyo baseColorado abanomdla nje kuphela, kodwa bayasikhanyisela ukuba singoobani na njengoluntu. Funda ngokugqithisileyo.
Wamtsala emagxeni, uFrodo wamtyhala ngasemva, bakhawuleza basondeza indoda ecaleni, wabeka isandla sakhe phantsi kwentloko yakhe. UNora wajonga ebusweni bakhe, elindele iimpawu zesenzo sechiza. Inokwenzeka ngokukhawuleza, okanye ingathatha imizuzu embalwa—wayikhumbula loo nxalenye. Umzimba kaMario wavuthuza okwentlanzi njengoko babemcinezela isifuba ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Khange aphendule ebefile.
Ulusu lwendoda lukhangeleka lungwevu. Weva intlungu emhlathini, engazange ayihoye njengoko elindile, indlela awayegodola ngayo kwaye...
Wanqwala uFrado wakhupha iphone epokothweni wafaka iinumbers. Ewe, molo, oku...
Ngelo xesha, indoda yahlala, amehlo ayo ebomvu, ulusu lwakhe lubomvu, kodwa lungekho ngwevu njengangaphambili, kwaye iblue emilebeni yakhe yanyamalala. Watsho ekhupha ifowuni esandleni sikaFrodo. Wehla phezu kwekhephu. “Hayi, akukho sibhedlele. Ndiyaphila, ndiyaphila.”
Wazityhala de amadolo akhe axengaxenga izandla zithe ngcu emhlabeni, ngathi unokuwa. Iingalo zikaNora zoluliwe kodwa zidada emoyeni, zingadibani ngokupheleleyo nendoda, kodwa zilungele ukuyixhasa ukuba iqalisa ukuwa. UFrodo wathatha ifowuni wajonga uNora, ngokungathi ulindele isigqibo sakhe.
“U-Lewis, huh? Ndicinga ukuba ugqithise idosi. Ndiyakukhumbula, oh…” Waqalisa ukungcangcazela ngamandla, iadrenaline iphuma kuye, ishiya izihlunu ezigodola ngumoya kunye nolusu lundindisholo okwengubo emanzi. Yibeke kuye.
ULewis wamjonga, emva koko wajika ngokungathi ujonga le ndawo: uFrodo, ifowuni, ikhephu, ikhadi lakhe lethala leencwadi, kunye nephepha ledola elisongiweyo ecaleni kwengxowa yeplastiki emgangathweni. Ngokucotha nangokucothayo, wathatha ibhilikhwe kunye nebhegi waza wazifaka epokothweni yakhe, emva koko wahlala ezithendeni zakhe, ephulula ubuso bakhe ngesandla esinye.
UNora wajonga epokothweni yakhe, emangaliswe kukumbona ekhusela into eyaphantse yambulala, waziva enesicaphucaphu. Uye waqhwanyaza. “Mhlekazi, kufuneka ujongwe yi-paramedic ukuqinisekisa ukuba uphilile. Xa eli yeza liphelile, usenokwenza u-overdose. Kwaye kufuneka sikukhuphe kwingqele” – engcungcuthekisa umzimba wakhe ngokungcangcazela – usebenzile. Wamwola, ezama ukumfudumeza. Idyasi eyayibekwe emagxeni yayishushu kakhulu, kwaye wayephefumla ngevumba lama-apile kunye nendoda ethile yasehlathini. Wangcangcazela, ebulela ngokuphefumla umoya obandayo, wabona ukuba uFrado, enganxibanga dyasi, ume phezu kwakhe ebeke umnxeba endlebeni.
“Wamnika into esempumlweni. Ewe. Wavuka ehleli encokola. Yonke into iilungile".
UFrodo wakhupha ifowuni endlebeni yakhe. “Abakhange bafumane mntu unokuza kuthi okwangoku. Iindlela bezivaliwe kwaye kukho iingozi ezinkulu kuyo yonke indawo. Bathi makangene ambukele.
ULewis wema, kodwa woyama kakhulu emthini. UNora waphawula izandla zakhe—amanxeba atyebileyo, ulusu olukwincam yeminwe yakhe lukrazukile yaye luqina—yaye isifuba sakhe saqalisa ukuba buhlungu xa wayecinga ngendlela ekumele ukuba imenzakalise ngayo.
“Ine-cc-offee, i-tt-ea kunye netshokholethi eshushu,” utsho ngemilebe endindisholo. Wakhumbula usuku kwiveki ephelileyo xa wayesiya kwindlu yangasese. Indlela awayeyibeke ezantsi ngayo intloko yakhe engakhange adibane namehlo akhe, ngokungathi akakho xa engamboni, ngokungathi wayengabonakali. “Kubanda kakhulu apha, Lewis. Ndingasebenzisa into eshushu. Hayi, wena?
Amehlo akhe ebebonakala ethe ntsho kwiblukhwe yakhe ejingayo kunye nezihlangu ezimfiliba, kodwa akazange amjonge. Ukudinwa okunzulu kwaphawula imigca ebanzi ezidleleni zakhe, yaye emva koko uNora wavakalelwa kukuba kukho into eguqukayo.
Kwavakala isithonga esikhulu phezu kweentloko zabo, kwaza kwakhala umlozi, yaye kude kufuphi nomthi ababehlanganisene kuwo, kwawa isebe elikhulu emhlabeni. UNora akazange awakholelwe amehlo akhe.
Wanqwala wajonga ku Lewis. “Ndicela, Lewis, uhambe nathi. Ndiyacela?" Weva ukuphelelwa lithemba kwilizwi lakhe. Ebesephelelwe lithemba kuba ebesazi ukuba akanakumshiya apha azofa ngumkhenkce kodwa ebengazi ukuba uzomfaka njani engakhange amoshe mntu. Ebesele ecinga ngobhuti wakhe. Indlela awayengamboni ngayo iminyaka emininzi kwaye ngamanye amaxesha wayesiva ngaye. Izandla zakhe zibambelele emanqindini. Ngewayemvumele uLewis angene. Ngeli xesha wazama ukugcina ithowuni yakhe ikhanya. – Kukho ikofu. Bekungayi kuba mnandi into yokusela ngoku?
ULewis uye wajika kubo, wajika, kwathi ngomzuzwana intliziyo yakhe yabetha ngamandla, ecinga ukuba uyahamba, kodwa wema wabonakala etshintsha ingqondo. “Kulungile,” watsho.
UNora waphefumlela phezulu, ekhulula ubushushu bexeshana. Kulungile, Lewis. Kulungile, kulungile, masihambe ke, kulungile? Ndide ndithembise ukuba andizukukunika ikhadi elitsha lethala leencwadi.
UFrodo warhona, kwaye uNora wabona amagxa ale ndoda ephakama esihla. Ukuncwina? hleka? Kulungile. Into awayeyikhathalele yayikukumfumana.
UFrodo ukhokele indlela kwaye bahamba becotha bephuma phantsi komthi besiya kwikhephu elinzulu, umoya uvuthuza amagwebu amanzi emehlweni akhe nasemlonyeni kwaye bengaboni nto ngaphandle komhlophe de bafika kwithala leencwadi. UNora wangena waza wafumanisa ukuba isihogo sitshatyalalisiwe.
“Nora!” UMarlene wema kwidesika kaNora, isandla sakhe sibambe uJasmine. “Ndikuxelele, ayilunganga le ntombazana.
UNora ufuna uLewis ehlise umoya, aze ahlale phantsi esitulweni, akhulule iibhutsi zakhe zerabha asele ikomityi yeti eshushu. Wayengafuni ukujongana noMarlene. Kodwa intombazana yayibonakala inomsindo kwaye isoyika, kwaye umzuzwana uNora wazibona eguqe engceni - eneenyembezi ezidleleni zakhe, umlomo wakhe ujijekile - ubukele uMario ehamba kwi-stretcher. Watshixizela amazinyo, kwaye namhlanje, hayi okokuqala, wayenethemba lokufumana uCharlie. Wayeya kukwazi ukuthetha noMarlene.
UNora wasondela kubo, ebeke iliso lakhe kwixhegokazi. Uthe xa ethetha kwavakala ukubanda kwakhe. “Susa isandla sakho kuye, Marlene. Ngoko nangoko.
UMarlene wajonga intombazana waza wabuya, wamkhulula, ebonakala emangaliswe ukuba wayebambe isandla sakhe. “Owu, kodwa wayiba incwadi, Nora. “Ndiyamazi akenzi izinto ezintle, wenza iziyobisi kwithala leencwadi, uthetha efowunini, uthwala iminqwazi,” utshilo, ngokungathi wayecinga ukuba ezi zenzo ziphosakele, kodwa hayi umdla.
Ngelo xesha, izibane zazimana zikhanyisa yaye zicinywa kwakhona, yaye zonke iiselfowuni ezazikwelo gumbi zazibhomboloza. UMarlene waxhuma phezulu.
UFrodo wathatha ifowuni. “Esi sisilumkiso semozulu. Izaqhwithi zinamandla kwaye iindlela zimbi ngakumbi. Wonke umntu uyacetyiswa ukuba ahlale apho akhoyo. ”
UMarlene waya efestileni waza wajonga ngaphandle. “Ndikuxelele,” watsho, ilizwi lakhe lidala kwaye libuthathaka kunamandla endalo awayewazi uNora. "Njengesiphango sika-2003, sibi kakhulu."
Umoya nekhephu zabetha ezifestileni, izibane zacima kwaye izithunzi zazalisa iikona zethala leencwadi elidala njengongundo. Iinkumbulo zezaqhwithi zakudala zasasazeka ngokukhanya okuguquguqukayo. Yatsho ingxokozelo emoyeni ijikeleza kuye, idanisa luloyiko noloyiko olwalusele lungumlingane wakhe amqhelileyo, umnakwabo ngaphandle, eyedwa kwaye ebandezelekile, kwaye kwakungekho nto anokuyenza.
“Umakhulu ufuna ukwazi ukuba ndingahlala na apha ade eze kum?” UMolly wajonga ecaleni kuMarlene, ebambe amazinyo. “Asikuko nokuba ndifuna ukuhlala naphi na kufutshane naye, koko utata akakho edolophini kwaye andifuni abekhona umakhulu. Akaboni kakuhle.”
UNora wayebaxabisa abantu ababemngqongile. UJasmine waphuthaphutha umtya okwihempe yakhe, wawutsalela kwelinye icala wawutsalela kwelinye. Le ntombazana yayikhangeleka ingekho ngaphezu kweminyaka elishumi elinesihlanu ubudala, kwaye mhlawumbi yayineentloni, njengomntwana ofikisayo, phambi kwabantu abaninzi abangabaziyo abantu abadala, ngakumbi abo babeyityhola ngokuba, kanti enye izele ngameva kumnyango omxinwa uyanuka. ULewis watyibilika phantsi, engqiyame ngocango, ediniwe. Wahleka wajonga kuNora. "Ndicinga ukuba uthe kuzakubakho ikofu."
UFrodo woyama ngoLewis, iingalo zawela esifubeni sakhe, wajonga uNora ngentetho awayengayiqondi ncam. Iinwele zakhe ezimdaka zazimanzi kwaye uncumo lwakhe lwalufudumele xa amehlo abo edibana.
Efestileni, uMarlene wayebonakala elahlekile kwiingcamango njengoko wayejonge amahlwantsi ekhephu. “Ndagrumba iintsuku ezintathu zilandelelana ngaphambi kokuba ndiyifumane imoto yam,” utshilo. Ngaphandle kweveki yokucima kombane, kwafuneka ndinyibilikise ikhephu ukuze ndifumane amanzi.”
Uqhwithela lwamva nje sisiqalo. Okulandelayo yaba luthotho lokuchacha okubuhlungu kunye nokubuyela kwimeko yesiqhelo, ithemba kunye nokungabi nakhaya, kunye nomntakwabo Nora ngamaqhekeza amancinci, emva koko abe ngamaqhekeza amakhulu, njengesakhiwo esiwohlokayo ngokuhamba kwexesha. Esi saqhwithi asifani, njengoko uMario wenzakala kwenye indawo yedwa kwaye uNora unokwenza okuthile ngako.
Wajonga kuLewis, izandla zakhe zibuyela emva naphambili emanqindini akhe ngokungathi umva ubuyile kubo. Umahluko kuphela kwesi saqhwithi kukuba kukho abafana noLewis, uMarlene noJasmine abafuna indawo ekhuselekileyo. Nantso into anokubanika yona, nantso into anokuyenza.
UNora wancuma, waqhwaba izandla, wathi, “Ingaba ikhona indawo engcono yokuxinga kunethala leencwadi?”
UMelissa Payne ungoyena mbhali uthengisa kakhulu weeMfihlo zelitye elilahlekileyo, iiMemori zokuKhumbula, kunye noBusuku obuneziphelo ezininzi. Inoveli yakhe ezayo ithi, Ukukhanya Ehlathini. UMelissa uhlala emazantsi eentaba zeRocky kunye nomyeni wakhe nabantwana abathathu, i-mongrel enobuhlobo kunye nekati enomsindo kakhulu. Ngolunye ulwazi, tyelela www.melissapayneauthor.com okanye umfumane kwi-Instagram @melissapayne_writes.
Ijaji ikholelwa ukuba izityholo zikaSenator weLizwe uPete Lee ziye zachaphazeleka ngenxa yolwazi olungachananga olunikezelwe kwijaji enkulu.
U-Ahmad Al Aliwi Alyssa usanyangwa kwiSibhedlele sikaRhulumente seNgqondo, hayi…
Ixesha lokuposa: Oct-22-2022