Iqhwa lagcwala indlu yakhe futhi lacindezela phansi ezinzwaneni zakhe, okumenza azizwe sengathi izinyawo zakhe zifakwe kumapulasitiki aneqhwa. Wazama ukuzungeza ohlangothini lwesakhiwo, kodwa izinyawo zakhe zabhajwa eqhweni elixegayo. Cishe kwase kufika emadolweni akhe, futhi ingxenye yobuchopho bakhe eyayingabhalisanga izimpawu ze-opioid overdose ibhalise inani leqhwa ngenxa yokwethuka.
Waqhubeka edweba izimpawu emqondweni wakhe. Angivuki futhi angiphenduli izwi lami noma ukuthinta. Ingabe ukuphefumula kuhamba kancane, akuvamile, noma kumisiwe? Ingabe abafundi bakho bancane? Izindebe eziluhlaza? Wezwa umzimba wakhe uqhaqhazela ngenxa yamakhaza. Izindebe zakhe zingase zibe luhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kulesi simo sezulu manje, kodwa ubengazi kanjani ukuthi kuluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ngenxa yokweqisa noma kubanda? Iqhwa lagubha ngaphansi komsila wehembe lakhe futhi lashibilika lehla ngemuva kwebhulukwe lakhe. Wayelokhu enyakaza, enganakile intuthuko yakhe ekhandlayo, eqhubeka ebamba izinsalela zezifundo ayezifundile. Ukushaya kwenhliziyo okunensa? Ukushaya kwenhliziyo okubuthakathaka? Ukugodola kwehlela emgogodleni wakhe, futhi kwakungahlangene nekhadi elimanzi elinamathela esikhumbeni sakhe. Yini okufanele uyenze uma umfana engaphefumuli? Ingabe kufanele anikezwe i-CPR kuqala? Ifindo laqina esiswini sakhe, futhi ubuchopho bakhe babuvele bungasenalutho kukho konke akufundile kulesi sifundo. Amagatsha kaphayini alenga phansi njengamakhethini aminyene, evimba ukuthi abone indoda engaphakathi. Igatsha laligobile ngaphezu kwalokho uNora ayekucabanga ngenxa yesihlahla, izinaliti zaso zikaphayini zibekwe phezu kweqhwa, elalinqwabelene ngezinaliti eziluhlaza ezibambelele phansi ngesisindo sazo.
Emagatsheni aluhlaza, wayekwazi ukubona umfanekiso wakhe kuphela, elele esiqwini esiwugqinsi, inhliziyo yakhe ishaya ngokushesha kangangokuthi amaphaphu akhe aminyene. Lapho eneminyaka engu-9 ubudala, waphinde wangena ntambama, ekhipha udoti njalo ngoMsombuluko. Kwakungekho qhwa, kodwa kwakubanda kakhulu kangangokuthi umoya wawumnyama ngenxa yokuphefumula kwakhe, futhi wayegxile kangangokuthi akazange abone uMario elele otshanini obunsundu, i-zombie ngenxa yamaphupho akhe amabi. Wadazuluka kakhulu kangangokuthi inja yakwamakhelwane yaqala ukukhala. Usindise impilo yakhe, abezimo eziphuthumayo bamtshela kamuva.
Waphusha izitho zakhe eziqinile wazithola ecashe ngaphansi kwesihlahla, ephushela eceleni imicabango kaMario ukuze avule isikhala sebhokisi elisesandleni sakhe kanye nendoda ephansi. Iqhwa endaweni evikelekile lalingashoni, futhi emizuzwaneni embalwa wayeseseduze nalo, imicabango yakhe yayiphithizela. Beka abantu emhlane wabo. Khipha idivayisi ebhokisini bese ukhipha ipulasitiki. Konke kubonakala kulula njengokumisa isilima ukuthi singasebenzisi ngokweqile ama-opioid ekilasini. Kodwa lokho akunaki isiphepho esishisayo kanye phakathi kweshumi leminyaka noma ukuthi iminwe yakho ibande kangakanani ukuze ibambe amakhona amancane epulasitiki ephakheji. Wavala amehlo wanikina ikhanda. Yehlisa umoya, Nora! Waqhubeka. Kuhlole kuqala. Walala ngendlela eyinqaba, encike esiqwini sesihlahla. Isikhumba somfowabo sasimpunga, izindebe zakhe zaziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ngokumnyama, futhi wayeqinisekile ukuthi ufile. Ukube awuzange ungithole, bathi, ngabe ngifile, futhi kamuva wakhipha izwi elihoshayo embhedeni wakhe wasesibhedlela. Angazi bengizokwenzenjani ngaphandle kwakho Pentshisi.
Izindebe zendoda zaziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka namehlo evaliwe ukuze ingakwazi ukubona abafundi bayo. Wabeka iminwe emibili esihlakaleni sakhe, kodwa ukuthola ukushaya kwenhliziyo yakhe ngeminwe yakhe ebandayo kwabonakala kuwumsebenzi ongenakwenzeka, ngakho wabeka ikhanda lakhe esifubeni sakhe, enganaki uboya obuxutshwe nejazi lakhe, ukunuka okumanzi ezindwangu. Inhliziyo yakhe yayishaya, kodwa kancane—ehamba kancane, ecabanga—futhi umoya wakhe wawuzwakala njengegagasi elingakaze lifike ogwini.
"Nora?" Akazange ajike. Ngisho nangezikhathi ezinjalo, izwi likaFrodo lisabonakala, futhi uNora ukude kakhulu nenyunyana yakhe kangangokuthi uzizwa eyisihambi kuye.
Isonto ngalinye, i-Colorado Sun kanye ne-Colorado Humanities & Centre For The Book ihlanganisa ingcaphuno evela encwadini yaseColorado kanye nengxoxo nombhali. Isonto ngalinye, i-Colorado Sun kanye ne-Colorado Humanities & Centre For The Book ihlanganisa ingcaphuno evela encwadini yaseColorado kanye nengxoxo nombhali. Каждую неделю I-Colorado Sun ne-Colorado Humanities & Centre For The Book публикуют отрывок из колорадской книги и интервью с автором. Isonto ngalinye, i-Colorado Sun kanye ne-Colorado Humanities & Centre For The Book bashicilela ingxenye yencwadi yaseColorado kanye nengxoxo nombhali.Isonto ngalinye, i-Colorado Sun kanye ne-Colorado Center for the Humanities and Books bashicilela izingcaphuno ezivela ezincwadini zaseColorado kanye nezingxoxo nababhali. Hlola izingobo zomlando ze-SunLit kokuthi coloradosun.com/sunlit.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi le ndoda idle ngokweqile,” usho kanje, eqhaqhazela amazinyo, namazwi enkemile. “Kufanele simgcine emhlane ngaso sonke isikhathi.”
UFrado wakwenza, futhi uNora wabonga ngokuthi wayengeyedwa, ngisho nomuntu owayazi kangcono kunaye indlela yokusindisa umuntu ekuphuzeni ngokweqile. Ikilasi beliwusizo kodwa futhi lipholile futhi liphumuza, lingelona neze iqiniso. Eqinisweni, kwakuyiphunga lotshani obuqinile obusemadolweni akhe, iphunga lezikhwama zikadoti ezazimzungezile, ukukhala komakazi, nomsindo wezibani ze-ambulensi zishaya ebusweni bomfowabo obomvana.
Waphuthaza isikhwama, amachopho amancane kapulasitiki aphuma eminweni yakhe emanzi waze wakhala ngokukhungatheka. "I-pancake!"
Wawushutheka esandleni sakhe, wabeka isithupha sakhe phezu kwepiston neminwe emibili nhlangothi zombili zomlomo, owawuzungeza emoyeni, enyakazisa izicubu zakhe. Wayengafuni ukuthi le ndoda ife. Hhayi lapho engenza okuthile ukumsindisa. Kungani elapha, efa, yedwa? Unaye umfazi ozilile? indodana? Bake bangena emigwaqweni njengaye, bezwa kungenamsebenzi ukubheka umuntu emgodini olokhu ukhula ngokukhula esifubeni sabo? Ngeke amyeke afe, kodwa uyesaba ukuthi sekwephuze kakhulu.
Wenyusa isandla sakhe entanyeni yakhe, waphakamisa ikhanda lakhe wafaka umlomo wakhe ekhaleni lakhe lesobunxele kwaze kwaba iminwe yakhe ithinta ikhala lakhe, wabe esecindezela phansi ku-plunger.
I-SunLit ifaka izingcaphuno ezintsha zabanye ababhali abaphambili baseColorado ezingagcini nje ngokuthakazelisa, kodwa ezisikhanyisela ngokuthi singobani njengomphakathi. Funda kabanzi.
Amdonse emahlombe, uFrodo amsunduzele ngemuva, asheshe amsondeze eceleni, afake isandla ngaphansi kwekhanda. UNora wambheka ebusweni, elindele izimpawu zesenzo somuthi. Kungenzeka ngokushesha, noma kungathatha imizuzu embalwa—wayikhumbula leyo ngxenye. Umzimba kaMario washayeka okwenhlanzi njengoba bemcindezela kaningi isifuba. Akazange aphendule, wayesefile.
Isikhumba sendoda sibukeka simpunga. Wezwa ubuhlungu emhlathini, wanganaka esalindile, indlela agodola ngayo futhi...
Avume ngekhanda uFrado akhiphe ucingo lwakhe ephaketheni afake izinombolo. Yebo, sawubona, lokhu...
Ngaleso sikhathi, indoda ihlezi, amehlo ayo ebomvu, isikhumba sakhe siphaphathekile, kodwa singasampunga njengakuqala, futhi ezindebeni zakhe eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka sanyamalala. Akhiphe ucingo esandleni sikaFrodo. Wehlela phezu kweqhwa. “Cha, asikho isibhedlela. Ngiyaphila mah, ngiyaphila."
Waziphakamisa kwaze kwaxega amadolo nezandla ziphansi kungathi uzowa. Izingalo zikaNora zeluliwe kodwa zintanta emoyeni, zingaxhumani ngokuphelele nendoda, kodwa ilungele ukuyisekela uma iqala ukuwa. UFrodo wathatha ucingo wabuka uNora, kwangathi ulindele isinqumo sakhe.
“Lewis, huh? Ngicabanga ukuthi udle ngokweqile. Ngiyakukhumbula, eh…” Waqala ukuvevezela ngamandla, i-adrenaline iphuma kuye, ishiya izicubu ezigodola umoya nesikhumba ndikindiki njengengubo yokulala emanzi. Amfake.
U-Lewis wambheka, wabe esephenduka njengokungathi uhlola indawo: uFrodo, ucingo, iqhwa, ikhadi lakhe lasemtatsheni wezincwadi, kanye nesamba sedola esigoqiwe eduze kwesikhwama sepulasitiki esiphansi. Kancane kancane wathatha isikweletu nesikhwama wakufaka ekhukhwini, wahlala ezithendeni zakhe ecikica ubuso ngesandla esisodwa.
UNora wagqolozela ephaketheni lakhe, wamangala ukumbona evikela into ecishe yambulala, futhi wezwa isicanucanu esincane. Acwayize. “Mnumzane, kumele uhlolwe abezimo eziphuthumayo ukuze uqiniseke ukuthi uphilile. Uma lo muthi uphela, usengasebenzisa ngokweqile. Futhi sidinga ukukukhipha emakhazeni ” - ehlukumeza umzimba wakhe ngokuqhaqhazela - usetshenzisile. Wamgona ezama ukumfudumeza. Ijazi elibekwe emahlombe akhe lalifudumele kakhulu, waphefumula iphunga lamahhabhula nendoda yehlathi. Aqhaqhazele ebonga ukuphefumula umoya obandayo, abone ukuthi uFrado, engaligqokile ijazi, umi phezu kwakhe ebeke ucingo endlebeni.
“Umnike okuthile emakhaleni. Yebo. Wavuka ehlezi ekhuluma. Konke kuhamba kahle”.
UFrodo wakhipha ucingo endlebeni yakhe. “Abatholanga muntu ongeza kithina okwamanje. Imigwaqo ibivaliwe futhi kube nezingozi ezinkulu yonke indawo. Athi akangene ambuke.”
U-Lewis wasukuma, kodwa wancika kakhulu esihlahleni. UNora waqaphela izandla zakhe—amanxeba aminyene, isikhumba eminweni yakhe sidabukile futhi siqinile—futhi isifuba sakhe saqala ukuba buhlungu lapho ecabanga ukuthi kumelwe ukuba simlimaze kangakanani.
“Ino-cc-offee, i-tt-ea kanye noshokoledi oshisayo,” esho ngezindebe ezindikindiki. Wakhumbula usuku lwangesonto eledlule lapho eya endlini yangasese. Indlela abelibhekise ngayo ikhanda phansi engakaze ahlangane namehlo akhe, kube sengathi akekho uma engamboni, sengathi akabonwa. “Kumakhaza kakhulu lapha, Lewis. Ngingasebenzisa okuthile okufudumele. Ha, nawe?
Amehlo akhe abonakala ethe njo ebhulugweni lakhe eselimanzi te nasezicathulweni ezintekenteke, kodwa akazange ambheke. Ukukhathala okujulile kwaphawula imigqa ebanzi ezihlathini zakhe, futhi ngemva kwakho uNora wezwa sengathi kukhona okwenzekayo.
Kwezwakala umsindo omkhulu ngenhla kwamakhanda abo, kwabe sekukhale ikhwela, budebuduze nesihlahla ababebuthene kuso, kwawela igatsha elikhulu phansi. UNora akazange awakholwe amehlo akhe.
Avume ngekhanda uLewis. “Ngicela, Lewis, uhambe nathi. Ngiyacela?" Wezwa ukuphelelwa yithemba okufiphele ezwini lakhe. Esephelelwe yithemba ngoba ebona ukuthi ngeke amshiye lapha azofa yiqhwa, kodwa akazi ukuthi uzomfaka kanjani ngaphandle kokulimaza muntu. Wayesecabanga ngomfowabo. Ukuthi wayeseneminyaka eminingi engamboni futhi emane ezwa ngaye. Izandla zakhe zigoqe izibhakela. Bekufanele amvumele uLewis angene. Kulokhu uzame ukugcina ithoni yakhe ikhanya. – Kukhona ikhofi. Bekungeke yini kube mnandi ukuba nesiphuzo esifudumele manje?
Wafulathela uLewis waphenduka, kwathi ngomzuzwana inhliziyo yakhe yashaya ngamandla, wacabanga ukuthi useyahamba, kodwa wama wabonakala eshintsha umqondo. “Kuhle,” kusho yena.
Wadonsa umoya uNora, wakhulula ukufudumala kwesikhashana. - Kulungile, Lewis. Kulungile, kulungile, asihambe-ke, kulungile? Ngisho ngithembisa ukuthi ngeke ngikunike ikhadi elisha lomtapo wolwazi.
UFrodo wahonqa, futhi uNora wabona amahlombe endoda ekhuphuka futhi ewa. Bubula? ukuhleka? Kulungile. Konke ayekukhathalele kwakuwukuthola yena.
UFrodo wahola indlela futhi bahamba kancane bephuma ngaphansi kwesihlahla beyongena eqhweni elijulile, umoya uvunguza amahlamvu amanzi emehlweni akhe nasemlonyeni futhi angaboni lutho ngaphandle kokuba mhlophe baze bafike emtatsheni wezincwadi. UNora wangena futhi wathola ukuthi isihogo sibhujisiwe.
“Nora!” U-Marlene wema etafuleni lika-Nora, isandla sakhe sibambe esika-Jasmine. “Ngikutshelile, ayilungile le ntombazane.
UNora ufuna uLewis ehlise umoya, bese ehlala phansi esihlalweni, akhumule amabhuzu akhe enjoloba aphuze inkomishi yetiye elishisayo. Wayengafuni ukubhekana noMarlene. Kodwa intombazane yayibukeka ithukuthele futhi yethukile, futhi okwesikhashana uNora wazibona eguqe otshanini - izinyembezi ezihlathini zakhe, umlomo wakhe usontekile - ebuka uMario ehamba ngohlaka. Waququda amazinyo, lamuhla wayengaqali uthemba ukuthi uCharlie. Wayezokwazi ukukhuluma noMarlene.
Wasondela kubo uNora, egqolozele isalukazi. Wathi uma ekhuluma kuzwakala ukubanda. “Susa isandla sakho kuye, Marlene. Ngokushesha.
U-Marlene wabheka le ntombazane futhi wahlehla, wayikhulula, ngokusobala wamangala ukuthi wayesebambe isandla sakhe. “O, kodwa untshontshe incwadi, Nora. “Ngiyazi ukuthi akenzi izinto ezinhle, udla izidakamizwa emtapweni wolwazi, ukhuluma nocingo, ugqoka izigqoko,” esho engathi ucabanga ukuthi lezi zenzo azilungile, kodwa azikho umdlandla.
Ngaleso sikhathi, izibani zazilokhu zikhanya futhi zicisha, futhi bonke omakhalekhukhwini ababesendlini bakhala kakhulu. UMarlene wagxuma.
UFrodo ebamba ucingo. “Lesi yisixwayiso sezulu. Izivunguvungu zinamandla futhi imigwaqo imbi nakakhulu. Wonke umuntu uyalulekwa ukuthi ahlale lapho ekhona.”
UMarlene waya efasiteleni walunguza. “Ngikutshelile,” kusho yena, izwi lakhe elidala futhi elibuthakathaka kunamandla emvelo uNora ayewazi. "Njengesiphepho sango-2003, sibi kakhulu."
Umoya neqhwa kwashaya amafasitela, izibani zacisha futhi izithunzi zagcwala amakhona omtapo wezincwadi omdala njengesikhunta. Izinkumbulo zeziphepho zakudala zanda ngokukhanya okushintshashintshayo. Laduma emoyeni limzungezile, lidansa ngokutatazela nokwesaba osekuphenduke umngane wakhe amjwayele, umfowabo ongaphandle, eyedwa futhi ehlupheka, kungekho ayengakwenza.
"Ugogo ufuna ukwazi ukuthi ngingahlala yini lapha aze angilande?" UMolly wabheka eceleni uMarlene, eququda amazinyo. “Akukhona ukuthi ngifuna ukuyozihlalela noma yikuphi eduze kwakhe, kodwa wukuthi ubaba akekho edolobheni futhi angifuni ukuthi ugogo abe la. Akaboni kahle.”
UNora wayebazisa abantu ababemzungezile. U-Jasmine wadlala intambo yehembe lakhe, elidonsela kwelinye icala futhi alidonsele kolunye. Le ntombazane yayibukeka ingekho ngaphezu kweminyaka eyishumi nanhlanu ubudala, futhi cishe yayinamahloni, njengengane encane, phambi kwabantu abaningi abangabazi abantu abadala, ikakhulukazi labo ababeyisola ngokweba, kanti enye igcwele ameva emnyango omncane uyanuka. U-Lewis washibilika phansi, wancika ngohlaka lomnyango, ekhathele. Wahleka kancane wabuka uNora. “Ngicabanga ukuthi uthe kuzoba nekhofi.”
UFrodo wancika kuLewis, wawela esifubeni sakhe, wabheka uNora ngenkulumo ayengayiqondi kahle. Izinwele zakhe ezinsundu zazimanzi futhi ukumamatheka kwakhe kwakufudumele lapho kuhlangana amehlo abo.
Efasiteleni, uMarlene wayebonakala edidekile njengoba egqolozele amakhekheba eqhwa. “Ngamba izinsuku ezintathu zilandelana ngaphambi kokuba ngithole imoto yami,” kusho yena. “Ngaphandle kwesonto ukunqamuka kukagesi, kwadingeka ngincibilikise iqhwa ukuze ngithole amanzi.”
Isiphepho sakamuva siseyisiqalo nje. Okwalandela kwaba uchungechunge lokululama okubuhlungu nokubuyela emuva, ithemba kanye nokungabi nakhaya, nomfowabo kaNora waba yizicucu ezincane, kwase kuba yizicucu ezinkulu, njengebhilidi elidilika ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Lesi siphepho asihlukile, njengoba uMario elimele endaweni ethile yedwa futhi uNora angenza okuthile ngakho.
Athi nhla uLewis, izandla zakhe zinyakaze zibheke phezulu ezibhakeleni kube sengathi umuzwa usanda kubuya kubo. Umehluko nje ngalesi sivunguvungu wukuthi sibhekene nabadlali abafana noLewis, Marlene noJasmine abadinga indawo ephephile. Yilokho angabanikeza khona, yilokho angakwenza.
UNora wamamatheka, washaya izandla, wayesethi, “Ingabe ikhona indawo engcono yokubhajwa kunemtapo wezincwadi?”
UMelissa Payne ungumbhali othengiswa kakhulu wencwadi ethi, Secrets of the Lost Stone, Drifting Memories, kanye no-A Night with Multiple Endings. Inoveli yakhe ezayo ethi, The Light in the Forest. UMelissa uhlala emagqumeni e-Rocky Mountains nomyeni wakhe nezingane ezintathu, i-mongrel enobungane kanye nekati elinomsindo kakhulu. Ukuze uthole ulwazi olwengeziwe, vakashela ku-www.melissapayneauthor.com noma umthole ku-Instagram @melissapayne_writes.
Ijaji likholelwa ukuthi icala likaSenator Wezwe u-Pete Lee liphatheke kabi ngenxa yokwaziswa okungelona iqiniso okwethulwe phambi kwamajaji amakhulu.
U-Ahmad Al Aliwi Alyssa uselashwa esibhedlela se-State Psychiatric, hhayi…
Isikhathi sokuthumela: Oct-22-2022