ULara, umaqhulwane, wayeyibhungane
elikhethekile. Wayengafani nabangani
bakhe, enezimpiko eziphuzi ngokugqamile.
Bonke abanye babezithanda
izimpiko zakhe eziphuzi.
Njalo ekuseni, uVivi Vemvane
wayebingelela uLara, kanti uThwasi
Sithwalambiza wayevayiza ngesandla.
Ngisho noLwele Lwembu, ohlale
ethukuthele, wayejabula ukumbona.
Esikoleni, uLara wayedlala
nabangani abaningi.
Kodwa uLara wayefuna ukufana nabanye
omaqhulwane. “Ngifisa sengathi
ngabe nami benginezimpiko ezibomvu
njengawe, Mama,” kukhala yena.
Ngakho-ke ngolunye usuku unina
kaLara wampenda izimpiko
zakhe zaba bomvu tebhu.
Ngakusasa ekuseni akekho
owabingelela uLara
esendleleni eya esikoleni.
Futhi lapho efika esikoleni, akekho
kubangani bakhe owambingelelayo.
Akekho owayeqaphele izimpiko
zakhe ezintsha ezibomvu waze wabonwa
uNkz Miya owabe esethi, “Lara, uzipendile
izimpiko zakho ezinhle eziphuzi!”
ULara wahlala yedwa.
Ababefunda noLara ekilasini bethuka.
“Izimpiko zakho eziphuzi zikhethekile!”
“Zehlukile kwezinye!
Ziyimvelakancane!” kusho bona.
“Lara,” kwasho uNkz Miya, “izimpiko
zakho eziphuzi yizona ezikwenza
wena ube nguwena – njengebala
likaSipho nemilenze kaSally.”
Esesekhaya, uLara wathatha isikhathi
eside egeza, ezihwaya izimpiko zakhe
ezisagolide zaze zacwebezela.
“Ngeke ngiphinde ngipende izimpiko zami!”
ecabanga. “Ngaphandle mhlawumbe
kokuba kanye noma kabili …”
“…ngizame umbala
obukhwebezane kancane
… okukanye into enhle nje.
Kodwa ngeke ngikwenzele
ingunaphakade, ngiyokwenzela
ukuzijabulisa nje.”
Lara the Yellow Ladybird_Zulu
