“Ko e Faingataʻa ʻi he Pāaká,” Ko e Kaumeʻá, ʻAokosi 2023, 46–47.
Ko e Faingataʻa ʻi he Pāaká
Naʻe mānava fakaʻaulolongo ʻa Hanitā. “ʻOku ʻikai ke u lea ʻaki e ngaahi lea ko iá.”
Naʻe hoko ʻa e talanoa ko ʻení ʻi he ʻIunaiteti Siteiti ʻo ʻAmeliká.
Naʻe lova holo ʻa Hanitā mo hono ngaahi kaungāmeʻá ʻi he pāaká. Naʻá ne malimali ʻi heʻene ongoʻi e maʻili hake e havilí. Naʻá ne ongoʻi vave ʻaupito mo maʻamaʻa!
Naʻe ʻuluaki ala ʻa Kaili ki he ʻaá. Naʻá ne kaila, “Kuó u ikuna!”
Naʻe aʻu ʻa Hanitā ki he ʻaá ʻi ha kiʻi mōmenitii siʻi mei ai. “ʻOku ʻikai totonu ia! Naʻá ke ʻuluaki kamata.”
“Ko ia,” ko Mikaeli atu ia. “Ta lova ki he fuʻu ʻakaú!”
Naʻe toe kamata lele ʻa Hanitā. ʻI he taimi ko ʻení, naʻá ne ʻuluaki ala ki he fuʻu ʻakaú. Ka naʻe muimui ofi ʻaupito ʻiate ia ʻa Mikaeli.
“Kuó u ikuna!.” Ko Mikaeli ange ia.
Naʻe pehē ʻe Pipa, “ʻIkai, ko Hanitā ne ikuná.”
“Ko ia,” ko Kaili atu ia.
Naʻe pelu fatafata e Mikaeli hono ongo nimá. Peá ne puʻaki mai ha foʻi lea kovi.
Ne kata e tamaiki kehé. Naʻe toe puʻaki mai ʻe Mikaeli ʻa e foʻi leá, peá nau toe kata lahi ange.
Naʻe ongoʻi mamahi ʻa Hanitā ʻi hono lotó. Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi naʻe ʻikai feʻunga ke lea ʻaki e foʻi lea ko iá. Ka naʻe ʻikai ke ne loto ke taukaeʻi ia. Naʻe ʻikai ke ne teitei lea.
Naʻe toe lea ʻaki ʻe Pipa ha foʻi lea kovi ʻe taha. Naʻe lea leva mo Kaili ha lea kovi ʻe taha.
Naʻe pehē ange ʻe Kaili, “Hanitā, ko koe ʻeni ke ke leá.”
Naʻe pehē ange ʻe Mikaeli, “Ko ia, ʻai foki.” “Lea ʻaki ha foʻi lea kovi foʻou.”
Naʻe mānava fakaʻaulolongo ʻa Hanitā. “ʻOku ʻikai ke u lea ʻaki e ngaahi lea ko iá.”
“Naʻe talaange ʻe Kaili, “He ʻikai uesia koe ʻe haʻo lea ʻaki ha foʻi lea ʻe taha.”
“ʻOku ʻikai ke u fie fai ia,” koe tali atu ia ʻa Hanitaá.
“ʻOkú ke fuʻu ilifia?” Naʻe kata ʻa Mikaeli.
Naʻe fotunga faingataʻaʻia ʻa Hanitā. “Te u ʻalu au ʻo vaʻinga ʻi ha feituʻu kehe.”
Naʻe kei kata pē ʻa e toenga ʻo e tamaik iikí mo lea kovi. Naʻe fakaʻamu ʻa Hanitā ke mavahe. Naʻe ʻikai ke toe fakalata e pāká he taimí ni. Naʻá ne pehē ange, “Tau toki feʻiloaki ʻamui ange.”
Naʻe ʻai ʻe Hanitā hono ongo nimá ʻi hono ongo kató peá ne lue māmālie atu ʻo fakalaka he kau tamá kotoa. Naʻe ʻikai ke ne toe ongoʻi oma pe maʻamaʻa. Naʻá ne ongoʻi mafasia.
Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ʻa Mamí mo Tetí okú na tangutu ʻi ha sea loloa. Naʻe tuku hifo ʻe Tetí ʻene tohí. “ʻOkú ke sai pē?”
Naʻe fakahā ʻe Hanitā ha ʻikai fiemālie. “Naʻe kamata ke nau lea kapekape. Naʻe ʻikai ke u loto ke fai ia, ko ia naʻá ku mavahe leva.”
Naʻe malimali ʻa Mamí. “Naʻe toʻa moʻoni ia.”
Naʻe lea ange ʻa Teti, “ʻOkú ma laukau ʻiate koe.” “ʻOku faingataʻa ke fai ha ngaahi fili lelei ʻi he taimi ʻoku ʻikai fai ai ʻe he kakai ʻoku tau feohí.”
Naʻe māpuhoi ʻa Hanitā. Naʻá ne fiefia ʻi heʻene fai ʻa e fili totonú, ka naʻe ʻikai pē ke ne ongoʻi lelei.
“ʻOkú ke fie ʻalu ki ʻapi?” Ko e fehuʻi ange ia ʻa Mamí.
Naʻe fakakaukau ʻa Hanitā ki ai. Naʻá ne talaange, “ʻOleva pe.” Naʻá ne vakai atu ki ha kulupu ʻe taha ʻo e fānaú naʻa nau vaʻinga he zip lines. “Te u ʻalu ki hé.”
ʻI he lue atu ʻa Hanitaá, naʻe taʻataʻalo atu ha taha ʻo e tamaiki tangatá kiate ia. “Mālō e lelei, ko Tēvita au.”
“Ko Hanitā au. ʻE lava keu puna mo koe?”
“ʻIo!”
Naʻe maʻu e taimi ʻo Hanitā ke vaʻinga he zip line peá ne ongoʻi e maʻili fakafetaulaki e havihavilí. ʻI heʻene vaʻinga mo Tēvita mo e niʻihi kehé, naʻá ne toe ongoʻi oma mo maʻamaʻa. Naʻá ne fai ʻa e meʻa naʻe totonú, neongo naʻe faingataʻa. Naʻá ne fiefia heʻene fai ha fili lelei.
ʻŪ tā fakatātā ʻa Shawna J. C. Tenney