Runyanhiriri nyika ichigere zvayo kusvinura, zuva rakanga richiri chinhambwe chikuru kwazvo kudzoka kwarakanga ravhakacha. Ipapo sango rese rakanga richiri mubutiro redima nerunyararo rwunotyisa. Zvisikwa zvaNyadenga zvakanga zvichiri mukuzorora kweusiku zvichimirira kutambira zuva idzva kubva kuVatongi venguva. Dai asiri makore ainge akafukidza denga rese zvimwe dai rima raisaita manyemwe akadaro uyewo zuva paraizobuda nyika yaizosvinura. Zvino mhute, rima nechando zvakanga zviine mukana mukuru wekudzikisa midzi nekushambadza rushusho rwazvo kuzvisikwa zvaNyadenga. Mhepo yaChikunguru yaibva yaonererwa chaizvo murima imomo. Yaiti ikavhuvhuta nerutivi urwu, yodzoka nerurwo, yomboti mwi-i yozodzoka zvakare. Mabasa ayo aisiya misodzi netumadziwa twemvura zvichiyerera pameso paDudzai. Akambotanga achaisa maoko muhomwe dzamara homwe dzacho dzangovawo chando chega chega. Nhumbi dzaainge akasimira dzaisamupa kana dziviriro imwe chete zvayo kubva kuhukasha hwekunze uhwu. Muviri wake waibvunda, mazino achigeda-geda serutsanga. Dai chaiva chando badzi chaimufurufusha zvaigona kuva nani, zvino dumbu redu babawe-ee rakanga risina kana chimwe chete zvacho chakanga chapinda mariri kubva masikati anezuro. Yake nhamo yakanga yava yechikwepa chaiyo yekuti mberi chirikutsva shure chakarumwa. Semwana mudiki haana chaaigona kuita hupenyu hwada izvozvo. Vakuru vaiti, 'dzidza muzukuru ugozotichengetawo mangwana. Ngazvireme ngazvirwadze asi shure usadzoke nekuti dzidzo ndiwo musimboti wehupenyu. Dai taiva nemari taiendesawo Sekai hanzvadzi yako iyi kuchikoro ikoko zvino nhamo yakatitora rugare rwuchiri kuhope. Sekai haana dambudziko guru zvake, akakura achawana anomuroora, zvino kwauri muzukuru zvakatosiyana. Ndiwe muchengeti wako, ndiwe muchengeti wedu. Ukangokundikana chete tariro neramangwana zvose zvinenge zvafushirwa murutsva rweurombe.' Mashoko ambuya vake aya aigara muhana make zuva nezuva. Shungu dzaiva dzekuvadadisa nekuzovawo munhu anoverengwa panoverengwa vakadzidza. Shungu idzodzo ndidzo dzaimubvisa usimbe hwekumukira zuva nezuva kunyangwe kwaitonhora zvakadaro. Aiti akafunga ambuya vake avo vaiva chirikadzi misodzi yake yaibva yati nyakata nematama ake. Aiva neshungu dzekuti vararamewo hupenyu hwakanaka asi aisambova nechokwadi chekuti zvaikwanisika nekuti aiziva kuti nezera ravo aisapedza chikoro vachiri vapenyu. Zvinhu zvairwadza nekusuwisa kuti Dudzai nezera rake akanga ava kukwanisa kufunga zvinhu zvakadaro. Aiva nemakore manomwe (7) badzi uye arimurugwaro rwekutanga (Grade 1)

Nguva iyi akanga ava kukwidza zimukata rainzi Hora iro rainge rakakura zvekusvika kiromita imwechete. PaHora apa pakanga pazviwanira zita iri nekuti paiva nemukurumbira chaizvo wekuonekwa zvidzangaradzimu, zvipoko, zvidhoma nezvimwe zvinhu zvaisanzwisisika. Makore ese aakanga adarika napo hapana kana chimwe chete chaakanga aona pazvese izvi kunze kwenyoka huru yaakaona ichiyambuka nzira asi isingaoneki kwayaitanga nekwayaiguma. Izvi zvakanga zvaitika mazuva ekutanga paakanga achiri kuperekedzwa naSekai. Semazuva ose akapadarika achitya uye achimhanya. Akafamba kwenguva refu chaizvo kusvika abuda musango avakufambira mubani. Akafamba chinhambwe chikuru kwazvo kuti adarike bani iroro zvakare. Akasvikopinda mune rimwe sango ndokuriteedza kusvika ava kufambira mudzimba. Kunze kwakazosara kochena afamba chinhambwe chinosvika makiromita mashanu. Nguva yaakazosvika pagedhi rechikoro nguva dzakanga dzafamba zvekuti. Achipinda gedhi akabva amiswa pamudungwe wevanhu vakanga vanonoka. Pamudungwe apa ndipo paiva naTichafa sahwira wake. Paakamuona akabva aenda kunomira pedyo naye. Vapedza kukwazisana nekuchema-chema nekutonhora kwaiita kunze vakabva vanyarara zvavo vachimirira kutongwa. Dzairova sei hana ipapo? Chando neshamhu zvakanga zvisina hushamwari. Hushamwari hwevaviri ava hwaishamisa vakawanda. Chaingovarwadza ndechekuti pakuenda kumba nzira dzaisiyana vachingobuda gedhi. Zvichida chakanga chavabatanidza yaiva nyaya yekuti vese vaiva nherera. Dudzai aichengetwa naambuya vake avo vaingovawo zvavo chirikadzi isina chayo pasi pezuva. Vaigara vari vatatu zvavo naSekai hanzvadzi yake. Tichafa aichengetwa naambuya nasekuru vabereki vababa vake. Vabereki vake vese vakanga vafa netsaona yemotokari pamwechete nevabereki vaamai vake.

Vakamiswapo kwekanguva ndokuzonzi vaende kunonhonga marara vodzoka vachiratidza murairidzi aiva pagedhi. Vakaita saizvozvo ndokubva vamiswa mutsetse wekurohwa. Vasikana vairohwa mumaoko vakomana vachitiburwa magadziko. Dudzai naTichafa sevanhu vaigara vakanonoka vakabva vanzi vaifanira kunyatsotiburwa chaizvo. Musi uyu vakanzi vadzikise mabhurugwa avo vachibva vatanga kurakashwa paganda chaipo nechitorobho. Zvino wedu Tichafa uyu aiteta zvokuti yaingova mhere chete.

Tichafa naDudzai pavakazoenda mukirasi yavo vakabva vanzi nemudzidzisi wavo vamire negumbo reruboshwe kumberi kwekirasi vakatatamura maoko kusvika chidzidzo chekutanga chadarika. Murango uyu vakanga vatoujaira sezvo vaigara vachisangana nawo zuva nezuva. Zvino nekurohwa kwavakanga vaita musi uyu Dudzai akakundikana achibva apunzika. Mudzidzisi wavo Mai Munyoro havana kufara nazvo. Vakati aifanira kuenda kunodiridza munda wechikoro. Vakaenda naye ndokunomuratidza nzvimbo yaaifanira kudiridza vachibva vamuti vaizodzoka vachitarisa kuti mvura yakanga yadzika here. Vakabva vamusiya ikoko ndokudzoka zvavo kukirasi yavo. Vachisvika vakawana Tichafa asisiko vachibva vatanga kumutsvaga. Vakazomuwana arikumunda kuya achibatsira sahwira wake kudiridza. Izvi havana kuzvitora zvakanaka, vakavatora vese varivaviri ndokudzokera navo kukirasi. Vakaradzika Tichafa pamusoro petable yavo ndokumuti adzikise bhurugwa rake ndokutanga kumurakasha nemuswe wemvuu. Murango uyu wakanga wakananga kuratidza vamwe vana mubairo wekusateerera zvinenge zvataurwa nemudzidzisi uye kuti vana vatye varairidzi. Vapedza kumurova vakabva vati Dudzai aitewo saizvozvo. Zvino nekuda kwekuti akanga asisina simba rekuchema nekuda kwechando chakanga chamubata, haana kana kuti bofu zvake kunyangwe shamhu dzese aidzinzwa. Murairidzi vakafunga kuti zvichida hwaiva hunhinhi ndokuramba vachimurova. Vakamurova kusvika vavakunzwa ruoko rwavo rwavakurwadza ndokuzomusiya. Vakamuti asimuke asi haana kusimuka vachibva vaita zvekumusunda ndokubva awira pasi. Haana kutsukunyuka kana kudii, akaramba akadaro. Murairidzi vakarohwa nehana vachibva vaedza kumusimudza wanike mwana akanga atova chando kare. Vakamuzunza-zunza asi zvakanga zvisisina betsero. Vamwe vana pavakaona murairidzi vomhanya-mhanya vakabva vasimuka ndokutanga kuyeva zvaiitika. Ko vaizivei zvavo kuti mumwe wavo akanga atorwa kwavari nenzira inosiririsa? Ndizvo saka vaiziva vakaimba kuti rufu ndimadzongonyedze anohwandira nekubvuta mudikani wepamoyo. Musi iwoyo ndiwo wakaparadzana Dudzai nasahwira wake zvachose. Tichafa akachema pakashaya akamunyaradza. Dudzai akafa aine makore manomwe (7).

Nyaya iyi haina kutambirwa zvakanaka nevabereki vevana vaidzidza pachikoro apa. Kurwadza kwazvo kaisava kekutanga kufa kwemwana pachikoro apa nechikonzero chimwe chete ichocho. Dai asiri mapurisa akatozobata Mai Munyoro nemukuru wechikoro VaJaravazi, vaviri ava vangadai vakateera Dudzai musi umwe chetewo. Kana iwo mapurisa pachawo akatoita sunga dzisimbe nekuti mbombera yakanga yadya mutucha. Pakati pembombera iyi ndipo paiva naTichafa akabatwa ruoko naSekai hanzvadzi yaDudzai. Vese vari vaviri yaingova misodzi yega yega. Sekai aiva nemakore gumi nerimwe chete (11) asi akanga asingaendi kuchikoro nekuda kwekushaikwa kwemari. Ambuya vake vakanga vati vaendese Dudzai nepashoma pavaiwana kuSociety vachiti Sekai ogara hake pamba sezvo aizoroorwa. Chivimbo chaiva chekuti akabuda zvakanaka pazvidzidzo zvake aizoraramawo hupenyu hwakajeka asi muridzi wenguva ndiye aiziva zvaiva seri kwemakore. Vakarwadziwa moyo ambuya vake. Pese apa vaitochema kuMusiki kuti avachengete kusvika vazukuru vavo vavakukwanisa kuzviriritira kusaziva kuti ndivo vaitozotanga kuona rufu rwemuzukuru wavo. Ndihwo here hupenyu hwacho Musiki?

Kufa kwake kwakaisa patsanuro huru pakati pavo naambuya vaTichafa nekuda kwekutadza kunzwanana pakutaura. Ambuya vaDudzai pavaichema kune mamwe madzimai emuraini mavo akanga auya kuchikoro uku kuzonzwa nezvechiitiko ichi, vakati, "saka muzukuru wangu akaurayirwa kunzi abatsirirwei nekashamwari kake here nhai Jehovha? Nhaiwe Tichafa muzukuru handiti waingobatsira here? Ko chakanga chaipa chii zvakare? Ndizvo here muzukuru kubatsirwa here nhai Nyadenga?..." Pamadzimai iwayo pane akanoudza mbuya vaTichafa kuti chembere iyi yaiti muzukuru wayo akanga aurayiswa naTichafa. Haina kupera zvakanaka nyaya iyi. Mapurisa akadzimara abata vanhu nekuti yakanga yatengwawo nevamwe vaiti vanozvinzwa chaizvo. Kubva musi iwoyo chembere mbiri idzi dzakabva dzarimirana muganhu.

Mazuva manomwe akatevera Tichafa akabuda pamba achienda kuchikoro semazuva ese asi haana kudzoka. Ambuya vake VaMurombo vakati havaikwanisa kurara vasina kuona muzukuru wavo. Vakabuda manheru vachisiya murume wavo ndokunanga kuchikoro ikoko uko kwaiva nechinhambwe chinosvika makiromita matanhatu (6 Kilometres). Vakasvikoona murume airinda pagedhi rechikoro ndokumupira nyaya yavo. Akavaudza kuti haana chaaiziva nezvevana vepachikoro apa uye hapana aikwanisa kuvabatsira pachikoro apa manheru iwayo nekuti hapana wavaikwanisa kuona. Dzimba dzevarairidzi dzakanga dzisati dzave kugarwa. Vakabva vafunga zvekuenda kumba kwana Dudzai uko kwaiva nemakiromita aidarika mashanu (5 kilometres). Vachisvikako vakaudzwa kuti hapana akanga amuona vachibva vafunga zvekudzokera zvavo. Ambuya vaDudzai vakaedza kuvanyengetedza kuti varare sezvo pakanga patova pakati peusiku asi vakaramba nekuda kweruvengo rwemashoko akataurika kuchikoro musi uye. Vasati vabva pamba apa vakanzwa kukosora kwemwana mudiki vachibva vamira kufamba ndokutanga kutsvaga kwachaibva. Ambuya vaTichafa ndivo vaiva mberi ambuya vaDudzai vari shure vachiteedza kwaibva kukosora uku. Vafamba kachinhambwe kadiki ndipo pavakazonzwa kuti chikosoro ichi chaibva paguva raDudzai vachibva vaoma vakadaro. Vakaita nguva vakamira vachitya ndokuzorovera moyo padombo vachiendako. Vakasvika pedyo ndokuona paine mwana akanga akarara pamusoro peguva riya. Nechiedza chemwedzi chaivako vakabva vangoona kuti aiva Tichafa wavakanga vafambira zvinhambwe zvinoera vachimutsvaga. Vakanzwa simba ravo richibuda mavari netsitsi. Misodzi yavo yakabva yatanga kudonha nematama avo vachibva vapfugama mberi kwake ndokutanga kuchema kunyikadzimu.



Tafadzwa kana kuti Fafi ndivo vaiva baba vaTichafa uye vari gotwe ragogo ava. Kubva zvaakafa netsaona yemotokari ndivo vakabva vatanga kuchengeta Tichafa uyo aingova mwana mumwechete wevaviri ava. Pavakapedza kudeketera kwavaiita vakatozowana Tichafa atomira mberi kwavo. Vakasimuka ndokubva vamubata ruoko ndokutanga kufamba vachibva ipapo. Nguva yese iyoyo ambuya vaDudzai vainge vakamira chinhambwe vachiona zvaiitika. Yavo misodzi yaidonhawo vachiona zvakaro.

"Hezvo ndipo paanga arere?" Vakadaro ambuya vaDudzai asi hapana akavapindura. Ambuya vaTichafa vakangoramba vachienda zvavo pasina kuoneka kana kutenda. Ambuya vaDudzai vakatobva vawedzera kuzvidya moyo asi chekuita pakanga pasisina. Nekuda kwerufu rwaDudzai Tichafa pachake akanga atosanduka. Kuchikoro akanga asisateerere zvachose, kurohwa akanga asisade, kunyora basa akanga asisade zvakare. Aingogara anyerere zvake kunyangwe ukamubvunza chinhu aisadavira. Vamwe vaimuona vaiti dzimwe nguva akanga ava kuita seairasa njere. Vazhinji vaiti zvaizopera nekufamba kwenguva nekuti aiva mwana mudiki zvaizongopera chete. Vakashamisika pavakaona ava kupera muviri. Mukuru wechikoro VaJaravazi vakadzamara vati ambogara kumba kusvikira ava kunzwa zvirinani. Kumba ikoko ambuya vake vaiedza kumuudza mashoko eumbiridzo vachiti zvimwe achakanganwa nezvemumwe wake asi bodo haana.

Rimwe zuva vakamushaya pamba masikati vakati achadzoka hake. Kunze kwakadzamara kukavira asina kudzoka. Vakafunga zvekufamba kuenda kwanaDudzai kuya uko kwaiva nechinhambwe chaisvika makiromita mapfumbamwe (9 kilometres) kubva ipapo. Zvakavatorera maawa matatu kuti vasvikeko. Vachisvikako vakatanga nekunotarisa paguva raDudzai nekuti vaisada zvekutaudzana naambuya vake. Vakasvikowana iri nzvimbo badzi ndokubva vazochienda kunogogodza. Vakaudzwa kuti akanga asina kumbobvira aonekwa pamusha apa vachibva vadzokera zvavo. Pakudzokera vaingochema vachinamata kuti pavanosvika kumba vamuwane avako asi hazvisizvo zvakaitika. Vakasvika murume wavo arere zvake asi Tichafa akanga asimo. Hope hadzina kuuya husiku hwese. Misodzi yakaerera ikasvika pakugwamba. Vakarara vakariwudyura ziso murima imomo. Kwavakuseni vakamukira kunobvunza vanhu vose vemuraini asi hapana akati akanga amuona. Pavakadzoka kumba ndipo pavakanzwa murume wavo achiti amuona kugadheni. Vakaenda vese kugadheni kuya ndokufamba vachienda kumapeto aro. Ikoko ndiko kwaaiva zvake arere pamusoro pemvura yaiva mutsime. Ambuya vake vakazviwisira pasi neshungu ndokutanga kuikwetsura mhere varipo. Havana kumbenge vafungira kuti muzukuru wavo mumwe chete aizovasiya zvakadaro. Vanhu vaiva pedyo vakabva vatanga kuuya vachimhanya. Vachisvika vakabva vangopererwa vachiona mutumbi waTichafa urere zvawo pamusoro petsime. Rufu rwake rwakatekeshera muraini rose mangwanani iwayo.

Mushure mekuvigwa kwake ndipo pavakatanga kuyeuka Dudzai nekuwadzana kwake naTichafa. Vakatanga kufungawo kurwadziwa kwakaita ambuya vake nekufa kwake. Ipapo ndipo pavakatanga kuzvishora zvokuti. Musi waitevera kunze kwakazosara kochena vatova pachivanze chaambuya vaDudzai. Vakasvika Sekai achitsvaira chivanze ndokubva vamuudza kuti adaidze ambuya vake.

"Tigashire tigashire."

"A-aa munotambireiko iwo maoko chete iwaya?"

"Vanhu ka. Ko kwakanaka here nhai asahwira?"

"Kwakanaka chose ndine zvishoma zvandanga ndichingoda kutaura nemi hangu."

"Ho-oka chiregai ndibatidze moto tigarire mukitchen umu."

Ambuya vaDudzai vakakatyamadzwa kwazvo nekunzwa nezverufu rwaTichafa. Vakamboramba vanyerere vakatsikitsira pasi vachiita sevakanga vasina kunzwa zvakanga zvataurwa. Misodzi yega ndiyo yakazotaura kuti moyo wakanga wagarwa negangaidzo chairo. Zvakavanetsa kuti akanga afungeiko zvake Tichafa kusvika pakuzvikanda mutsime imomo.

"Chiregai kuchema mbuya nhiya, chandavinga pano ndechekukukumbirai ruregerero nehunu hwandakaita paye. Handizive chakanga chandibata chii, pachinzvimbo chekuti tinzwanane sezvaiita vazukuru vedu. Mundiregerere sahwira..."

"Aewa haikonai kunetseka naizvozvo. Kuvhiringa kuri kumunhu wese, chakakosha kunzwanana chete. Iko zvino ndinotenda nekuuya kwamaita. Chakakosha kuwadzana zvakanaka nekuti dambudziko nderedu tiri vaviri."

"Chandiri kukumbira ndechekuti mundichenese mumoyo menyu mubvise chigumbu chezvose zvandakaita."

"Usatye sahwira handina chigumbu. Kana muchida tinotema husahwira kuti munzwisise kuti zvedi ndakuregererai."

"Kana zvichibvira sahwira ngahutemwe, ndinobika doro racho inini."

"Naizvozvo tava madzisahwira, ndipei maoko enyu tione."

Ipapo ambuya vaTichafa vakabva vatambanudza maoko avo vachibva vamabatanidza neasahwira wavo mutsva. Vakabva vaita mhiko yekuti vaizomira vese semadzisahwira kusvika rufu rwazovapesanisa. Naizvozvo vaviri ava vakabatanidzwa nerufu rwaDudzai naTichafa.