Chando chakazadza imba yake ndokutsikirira pazvigunwe zvake, zvichiita kuti anzwe kunge tsoka dzake dzaive mumabhegi epurasitiki echando. Akaedza kutenderera nerutivi rwechivako, asi tsoka dzake dzakanamira musinou yakadzikama. Yakanga yave kusvika pamabvi ake, uye chikamu chehuropi hwake chisina kunyoresa zviratidzo zveopioid overdose yakanyora huwandu hwechando mukuvhunduka.
Akaenderera mberi achidhirowa zvikwangwani mupfungwa dzake. Handimuki uye handidaire inzwi rangu kana kubata. Kufema kunononoka here, hakuna kujairika, kana kumira? Vana vako vadiki here? Miromo yebhuruu? Akanzwa muviri wake kubvunda nechando. Miromo yake pachayo inogona kuve yebhuruu mumamiriro ekunze aya zvino, asi aizoziva sei kana yaive yebhuruu kubva kune yakawandisa kana kubva kuchando? Sinou yakamonyoroka pasi pemuswe wehembe ndokutsvedzerera kuseri kwetirauzi. Akaramba achifamba, asina hanya nokufambira mberi kwake kunonetesa, achipfuurira kubata zvakanga zvasara zvezvidzidzo zvaakanga adzidza. Kurova kwemoyo zvishoma? Simba rekushaya simba? Kupindwa nechando kwakamhanya kumusana kwake, uye kwaisava nechokuita necardigan yakatota yakanamatira paganda rake. Chii chaunofanira kuita kana mukomana asina kufema? Anofanira kutanga apiwa CPR here? Pfundo rakasungwa mudumbu make, uye uropi hwake hwakangoerekana husina zvose zvaakanga adzidza muchidzidzo ichi. Mipaini mapazi akarembera pasi semaketeni akakora, achivhara kuona kwake murume ari mukati. Bazi rakanga rakakotama kupfuura zvaifungirwa naNora nekuda kwemuti, tsono dzawo dzemupaini dzakagara pachando, iyo yakanga yakatutirwa netsono dzegirini dzakabatirira pasi nehuremu hwadzo.
Kuburikidza nemapazi akasoswa, aingokwanisa kuona chimiro chake, akarara pahunde gobvu, hana yake ichirova zvekuti mapapu ake akatsikitsira. Paakanga ava nemakore mapfumbamwe, akanyurazve masikati, achirasa marara Muvhuro woga woga. Pakange pasina chando, asi kwaitonhora zvekuti mweya waive wakasviba nekufema kwake, uye aive akatarisisa zvekuti haana kuona Mario akarara muuswa hwebrown, zombie kubva kuhope dzake dzinotyisa. Akazhambatata zvekuti imbwa yemuvakidzani yakatanga kuchema. Wakaponesa hupenyu hwake, vanobatsira varwere vakazomuudza.
Akasunda nhengo dzake dzaive dzakaoma ndokuzoona ave kuhwanda nepasi pemuti, achisaidzira pfungwa dzaMario parutivi kuti awane nzvimbo yebhokisi raive muruoko rwake nemurume aive pasi. Sinou yaiva munzvimbo yakavanda yakanga isina kudzika, uye mumasekonzi mashomanana akanga ava pedyo nayo, pfungwa dzake dzichipishana. Isa vanhu kumusana. Bvisa chigadzirwa kubva mubhokisi uye bvisa plastiki. Izvo zvese zvinoita sezviri nyore sekumisa idiot kubva kuwandisa maopioid mukirasi. Asi izvo hazvifungi nezve kamwe-mu-mu-makore gumi blizzard kana kuti kutonhora kwakadii zvigunwe zvako zvakabata makona madiki epurasitiki epasuru. Akavhara maziso ndokudzungudza musoro. Dzikama, Nora! Akaenderera mberi. Zvitarise kutanga. Akazvambarara zvake, akazendamira pahunde yemuti. Ganda remukoma wake rakanga rachena, miromo yakasviba, uye aive nechokwadi kuti akafa. Dai musina kundiwana, vakati ndingadai ndafa, uye gare gare akabudisa izwi rakashosha pamubhedha wake womuchipatara. Handizivi kuti dai pasina iwe Mapichisi ndaizodii.
Miromo yemurume iyi yaive yeblue maziso akavharika zvekuti aisaona vana vake. Akaisa zvigunwe zviviri paruoko rwake, asi kuwana kupuruzira kwake neminwe yake inotonhora zvaiita sechinhu chisingabviri, saka akagadzika musoro wake pachipfuva chake, achiregeredza makushe akasanganiswa nebhachi rake, kunhuhwirira kwakanyorova mumachira. Mwoyo wake wairova, asi zvishoma nezvishoma—zvishoma nezvishoma, akafunga—uye kufema kwake kwakanzwika sesaisai isina kumbosvika kumahombekombe.
"Nora?" Haana kucheuka. Kunyangwe panguva dzakadai, izwi raFrodo richiri kuzivikanwa, uye Nora ari kure nemubatanidzwa wake zvekuti anonzwa semutorwa kwaari.
Vhiki yega yega, The Colorado Sun neColorado Humanities & Center For The Book inoratidza chidimbu kubva mubhuku reColorado uye kubvunzurudzwa nemunyori. Vhiki yega yega, The Colorado Sun neColorado Humanities & Center For The Book inoratidza chidimbu kubva mubhuku reColorado uye kubvunzurudzwa nemunyori. Каждую неделю The Colorado Sun и Colorado Humanities & Center For The Book публикуют отрывок из колорадской книги и интервью с автором. Vhiki yega yega, The Colorado Sun neColorado Humanities & Center For The Book inoburitsa chidimbu kubva mubhuku reColorado uye kubvunzurudza nemunyori.Vhiki yega yega, Colorado Zuva uye Colorado Center yeHumanities uye Mabhuku anoburitsa zvinyorwa kubva mumabhuku eColorado uye kubvunzurudzwa nevanyori. Ongorora zvinyorwa zveSunLit pa coloradosun.com/sunlit.
“Ndinofunga kuti murume uyu akawandisa,” anodaro, mazino ake achigeda-geda, mashoko ake achikakama. "Tinofanirwa kumuchengeta kumusana nguva dzese."
Frado akazviita, uye Nora akatenda kuti akanga asiri ega, kunyange nomumwe munhu aiziva zviri nani kupfuura iye nzira yokuponesa munhu kubva pakunyanyodyisa. Kirasi yaibatsira asiwo yaizorodza uye ichizorodza, kwete zvachose. Kutaura zvazviri, kwaiva kunhuwa kwehuswa hwakaoma hwaiva mumabvi, kunhuwa kwemasaga emarara kwaimutenderedza, mhere yamaiguru, uye kurira kwemwenje yeamburenzi yairova kumeso kwemukoma wake.
Akatsvanzvadzira bhegi riya, tumicheto tudiki tweplastic twaibva pazvigunwe zvakatota kusvika aridza mhere neshungu. "Pancake!"
Akachitsveta muruoko rwake, akaisa chigunwe chake papiston uye zvigunwe zviviri kumativi ese emuromo, iyo yaitenderera nemhepo, ichizunza mhasuru dzake. Akanga asingadi kuti murume uyu afe. Kwete kana achigona kuita chimwe chinhu kumuponesa. Sei ari pano, achifa, ari oga? Ane mukadzi anomuchemera here? mwanakomana? Vakambopinda mumigwagwa saiye here, vachinzwa kuti zvakanga zvisina maturo kutsvaka mumwe munhu mugomba riri kuramba richikura muchipfuva chavo? Haazomurege achifa, asi anotya kuti kunonoka.
Akasimudza ruoko rwake muhuro make, ndokusimudza musoro wake ndokupinza muromo mumhino yake yekuruboshwe kusvikira zvigunwe zvake zvabata mhuno yake, ndokutsikirira pasi plunger.
SunLit inoratidzira zvinyorwa zvitsva kubva kune vamwe vevanyori vepamusoro veColorado izvo zvisiri kungonakidza chete, asi zvinojekesa kuti tiri ani senharaunda. verenga zvimwe.
Akamudhonza mapendekete, Frodo ndokumusundidzira kumusana, vakakurumidza kuswededza murume padivi pake, iye ndokuisa ruoko rwake pasi pemusoro wake. Nora akatarisa kumeso kwake, achimirira zviratidzo zvekushanda kwemushonga. Zvinogona kuitika nokukurumidza, kana kuti zvingatora maminetsi mashomanana—akarangarira chikamu ichocho. Muviri waMario wakarova sehove vachimudzvinya chipfuva. Haana kupindura akanga afa.
Ganda remurume rinoita imvi. Akanzwa kurwadza kweshaya, kwaasina kuita hanya nekumirira, kutonhora kwaaiita uye...
Frado akagutsurira musoro, ndokuburitsa nhare yake muhomwe ndokuisa nhamba dziya. Hongu, mhoro, izvi…
Panguva iyoyo murume uya akabva agara, maziso ake akatsvuka, ganda rakanga racheneruka, asi risina kuchena sepakutanga, uye bhuruu pamuromo pakabva panyangarika. Akagogodza nhare kubva muruoko rwaFrodo. Akamhara pachando. “No, no hospital. Ndiri mushe, ndiri mushe.”
Akazvisunda kusvika mabvi oti nyangarara uye maoko ari pasi kuita seachadonha. Maoko aNora akatambanudzwa asi achiyangarara mumhepo, asina kunyatsosangana nomurume, asi akagadzirira kumutsigira kana akatanga kudonha. Frodo akatora runhare ndokutarisa Nora, achiita seakamirira sarudzo yake.
“Lewis, huh? Ndofunga wawandisa. Ndakusuwa, uh…” Akatanga kudedera zvine simba, adrenaline ichibuda maari, ichisiya mhasuru dzakaporeswa nemhepo uye ganda rave chiveve segumbeze rakanyorova. Isa paari.
Lewis akamutarisa, ndokutendeuka seaiongorora nzvimbo: Frodo, runhare, chando, kadhi rake reraibhurari, uye dhora rakamoneredzwa pedyo nebhegi repurasitiki pasi. Zvishoma nezvishoma akabata bhegi riya ndokuisa muhomwe, ndokugara pazvitsitsinho zvake achikwenya kumeso neruoko rumwe chete.
Nora akatarisa homwe yake, akashamisika kumuona achidzivirira chimwe chinhu chakada kumuuraya, ndokunzwa kakusvotwa. Akabwaira bwaira. “Changamire, munofanirwa kuongororwa nana chiremba kuti muone kuti makasimba here. Kana mushonga uyu wapera, unogona kunge uchiri kuwandisa. Uye tinoda kukubvisa muchando” – achirwadzisa muviri wake nekudedera – akashandisa iye. Akamumbundira achiedza kumudziya. Bhachi rainge rakaputirwa nemapendekete rakanga richidziya zvakanyanya, akafema munhuwi wemaapuro nemumwe murume wesango. Akadedera achitenda kuzorora kwainge kwaita mhepo yaitonhora, ndokuona kuti Frado asina bhachi akamira pamusoro pake akaisa nhare munzeve.
“Akamupa chimwe chinhu mumhino. Ehe. Akamuka akagara achitaura. Zvese zvakanaka”.
Frodo akatora nhare panzeve. “Havana kuwana munhu aigona kuuya kwatiri panguva ino. Migwagwa yakanga yakavharwa uye kwakanga kune njodzi huru kwose kwose. Vakati regai apinde mumutarise.
Lewis akasimuka, asi akazendamira pamuti zvakanyanya. Nora akaona maoko ake—makobvu akakora, ganda repaminwe yake rakabvaruka nokuoma—uye chipfuva chake chakatanga kurwadza achifunga kuti anofanira kumukuvadza zvikuru sei.
"Ine cc-offee, tt-ea uye chokoreti inopisa," anodaro nemiromo yave nechiveve. Akarangarira zuva svondo rapfuura paakaenda kuchimbuzi. Akaramba akatsikitsira pasi uye aisambosanganidzana nemaziso ake, sekunge akanga asipo kana asingamuoni, seasingaonekwi. “Muno munotonhora chaizvo Lewis. Ndaigona kushandisa chinhu chinodziya. Ha, uye iwe?
Maziso ake airatidza kuti akatarisa mutirauzi neshangu dzaive dzakapfava, asi haana kana kumutarisa. Kuneta kwakadzama kwakaratidzira mitsetse yakatambanudzwa pamatama ake, uye kuseri kwaro Nora akanzwa kuti chimwe chinhu chiri kupera.
Pamusoro pemisoro yavo pakaita kurira kukuru, kurira kwemuridzo, kure nemuti wavainge vakaungana pakabva padonhera bazi zihombe pasi. Nora haana kudavira zvaaiona.
Akagutsurira musoro ndokutarisa Lewis. “Ndapota, Lewis, huya nesu. Ndapota?" Akanzwa kupererwa nezano muzwi rake. Akapererwa nekuti aiziva kuti haaigona kumusiya pano achipindwa nechando, asi aishaya kuti omupinza sei asina kukuvadza munhu. Aive ave kutofunga mukoma wake. Kuti akanga asina kumuona kwemakore akawanda uye aingonzwa nezvake apo neapo. Maoko ake akabata zvibhakera. Aifanira kunge apinza Lewis mukati. Panguva iyi akaedza kuti inzwi rake rirambe rakajeka. – Pane kofi. Hazvingave zvakanaka here kunwa zvinodziya?
Lewis akabva avafuratira ndokucheuka, hana yake yakarova akambofunga kuenda asi akabva amira achiita seachinja pfungwa. “Zvakanaka,” akadaro.
Nora akafemereka, achiburitsa kudziya kwechinguvana. - Zvakanaka, Lewis. Zvakanaka, handei ipapo, zvakanaka? Ndinotovimbisa kuti handikupei kadhi idzva reraibhurari.
Frodo akaridza ngonono, Nora akaona mapendekete emurume uyu achisimuka achidonha. Kugomera? kuseka? Zvakanaka. Chaaingoda kumuwana chete.
Frodo akatungamira vakafamba zvishoma nezvishoma vachibuda pasi pemuti vachipinda muchando chaidzika, mhepo ichivhuvhuta twumvura mumaziso nemumuromo hapana chavakaona kunze kwekuchena kusvika vasvika pa library. Nora akapinda ndokuona kuti gehena rose rakanga raparadzwa.
“Nora!” Marlene akamira padhesiki raNora, ruoko rwake rwakabata Jasmine. “Ndakuudza kuti musikana uyu haana kunaka.
Nora anoda kuti Lewis adzikame, obva agara pachair, obvisa bhutsu yake yerubber ndokunwa kapu yetii inopisa. Akanga asingadi kutarisana naMarlene. Asi musikana wacho airatidza kutsamwa uye kutya, uye kwekanguva Nora akazviona akapfugama pauswa - nemisodzi pamatama ake, muromo wake wakamonyoroka - achiona Mario achienda pamubhedha. Akarumanisa mazino ake, uye nhasi, kwete kekutanga, akatarisira Charlie. Aizoziva kutaura naMarlene.
Nora akasvika pavari akaramba akatarira chembere iya. Paakataura izwi rake raiita kutonhora. “Bvisa ruoko rwako paari, Marlene. Pakarepo.
Marlene akatarisa musikana ndokudzokera shure, achimusunungura, sezviri pachena akashamisika kuti akanga atobata ruoko rwake. “Aa, asi akaba bhuku racho, Nora. “Ndinoziva kuti haaite zvinhu zvakanaka, anoita zvinodhaka muraibhurari, anotaura parunhare, anopfeka ngowani,” akadaro, achiita sokunge aifunga kuti kuita izvi kwakanga kusina kururama, asi kwete manyawi.
Panguva iyoyo magetsi akabva adzima, uye nharembozha dzose dzaiva mumba umu dzakabva dzachema. Marlene akasvetuka.
Frodo akakata runhare. “Iyi yambiro yemamiriro ekunze. Madutu ane simba uye migwagwa yakatoipa. Munhu wese anokurudzirwa kugara paari.”
Marlene akaenda kuhwindo ndokutarisa kunze. “Ndakuudza,” akadaro, inzwi rake rakanga rakura uye risina simba kupfuura masimba echisikigo aizivikanwa naNora. "Kufanana nedutu ra2003, zvakatonyanya kuipa."
Mhepo nechisinou zvakarova mahwindo, marambi akadzimwa uye mimvuri yakazadza makona eraibhurari yekare seforoma. Ndangariro dzemadutu ekare dzinopararira nechiedza chinochinja. Yakaita ruzha mudenga yakamukomberedza, kutamba nekuvhunduka uye kutya kwainge kwave kujairana naye, mukoma wake ari panze, ari ega achitambura, uye hapana zvaaikwanisa kuita.
"Mbuya vangu vanoda kuziva kuti ndingagara pano kusvika vauya kuzonditora here?" Molly akatarisa divi akatarisa Marlene, akarumanisa mazino ake. “Hakusi kuti ndinoda kutandara pedyo naye, asi kuti baba vangu vari kunze kwedhorobha uye handidi kuti mbuya vangu vave pano. Haana kuona zvakanaka.”
Nora aikoshesa vanhu vakamupoteredza. Jasmine akakwenya tambo yesweti yake, achiidhonzera kune rimwe divi ndokuidhonzera kune rimwe. Musikana uyu aiita seasingapfuure makore gumi nemashanu, uye angangodaro ainyara, semwana achiri kuyaruka, pamberi pevakuru vakawanda vasina kujaira, kunyanya vaimupomera kuba, uye imwe yakazara neminzwa mumusuwo wakatetepa unonhuwa. Lewis akatsveta pasi achizendama negonhi apererwa. Akaseka ndokutarisa Nora. "Ndinofunga wati pachava nekofi."
Frodo akazembera Lewis, maoko akachinjika pachifuva chake, akatarisa Nora nekatauriro kaasina kunyatsonzwisisa. Bvudzi rake rebrown rakanga ranyorova uye nyemwerero yake yaidziya apo maziso avo akasanganidzana.
Pafafitera, Marlene aiita seakarasika mukufunga akatarisa mazaya echando. “Ndakachera kwemazuva matatu akatevedzana ndisati ndawana motokari yangu,” akadaro. Pasina vhiki kupera kwemagetsi, ndaifanira kunyungudutsa sinou kuti ndiwane mvura.
Dutu richangoburwa rinongova mavambo. Zvakazotevera ndezvekupora kunorwadza uye kudzokazve, tariro uye kushaya pekugara, nemukoma waNora muzvidimbu zvidimbu, ndokuzoita zvidimbu zvihombe, sechivako chiri kuputsika nekufamba kwenguva. Iri dutu harina kusiyana, sezvo Mario akakuvadzwa pane imwe nzvimbo ari oga uye Nora anogona kuita chimwe chinhu nezvazvo.
Akakanda ziso kuna Lewis, maoko ake achifamba-famba pazvibhakera sekunge kunzwa kwainge kwabva kudzoka mavari. Musiyano chete nedutu iri ndewekuti kune vanofarira Lewis, Marlene naJasmine vanoda nzvimbo yakachengetedzeka. Ndizvo zvaanogona kuvapa, ndizvo zvaanogona kuita.
Nora akanyemwerera, akarovanisa maoko ake, ndokuti, “Pane imwe nzvimbo iri nani here yekunamira kupfuura raibhurari?”
Melissa Payne ndiye munyori akatengesa zvakanyanya weZvakavanzika zveDombo Rakarasika, Drifting Memories, uye Husiku Hune Multiple Endings. Rinonyorwa rake riri kuuya rinonzi Chiedza Musango. Melissa anogara mujinga meMakomo eRocky nemurume wake nevana vatatu, katsi ine ruzha. Kuti uwane rumwe ruzivo, shanya www.melissapayneauthor.com kana kumuwana pa Instagram @melissapayne_writes.
Mutongi anotenda kuti kupomerwa kwaSeneta weNyika Pete Lee kwakatambura nekuda kwekusaziva kwakaunzwa kudare guru revatongi.
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Nguva yekutumira: Oct-22-2022