Basi la Mwisho Kila asubuhi, Amina husubiri basi katika kituo cha Mtoni. Baraka husubiri hapo pia kabla ya kwenda kazini. Leo ni siku ya mwisho Amina kutumia basi hilo. Amepewa kazi katika mji mwingine. Amina anashika begi lake na kuangalia barabara. Baraka anasimama karibu na kituo. Wamekuwa wakiona kila siku, lakini hawajaongea. Leo basi linachelewa. Baraka anasema, “Basi litafika saa ngapi?” Amina anamwangalia. “Sijui. Labda baada ya dakika chache.” “Unaenda kazini?” “Ndiyo. Leo naenda kazini mara ya mwisho hapa.” Baraka anaangalia begi lake. “Kwa nini mara ya mwisho?” “Nimepata kazi katika mji mwingine.” “Utaondoka leo?” “Ndiyo. Baada ya kazi.” Baraka anakaa kwenye kiti cha kituo. Amina anakaa upande mwingine. Barabara ina magari machache. Hewa ni baridi, lakini jua linaanza kutoka. Baraka anasema, “Nimekuwa nikikuona hapa kila siku.” Amina anasema, “Mimi nimekuwa nikikuona pia.” “Umejua jina langu?” “Hapana.” “Jina langu ni Baraka.” “Jina langu ni Amina.” Baraka anarudia, “Amina.” Amina anarudia, “Baraka.” Basi bado halifiki. Mtu mmoja anasimama pembeni yao. Anatazama saa, kisha anaenda barabarani. Baraka anauliza, “Kwa nini hukuwahi kuongea?” Amina anaangalia mikono yake. “Sikujua kama ungependa kuongea.” “Nilitaka kuongea.” “Kwa nini hukusema?” “Sikujua kama ungependa kusikia.” Amina anacheka kidogo. “Sasa tumeongea.” “Ndiyo. Lakini leo unaondoka.” “Ndiyo.” “Basi nimechelewa.” Amina anamtazama. “Hujachelewa kabisa.” Baraka anakaa kimya. Anatoa simu mfukoni, lakini haifungui. Amina anasema, “Una simu?” “Ndiyo.” “Unaweza kuandika namba yangu.” Baraka anainua kichwa. “Kweli?” “Ndiyo, kama unataka.” “Nataka.” Amina anasema namba polepole. Baraka anaandika namba hiyo. Anasoma tena. “Ni sahihi?” anauliza. “Ni sahihi.” Baraka anaandika jina lake. “Amina wa kituo cha Mtoni.” Amina anasema, “Usiandike hivyo.” “Kwa nini?” “Kwa sababu sitakuwa hapa tena.” Baraka anafuta maneno hayo. “Amina wa kazi mpya.” Amina anasema, “Hilo ni bora.” Basi linaonekana mwisho wa barabara. Baraka anasimama haraka. “Utaenda lini?” anauliza. “Leo jioni.” “Utarudi lini?” “Sijui.” Baraka anashika simu yake. “Nitakupigia leo.” Amina anasema, “Usipige ukiwa kazini.” “Nitapiga baada ya kazi.” “Baada ya kazi ni saa ngapi?” “Jioni.” “Basi nitangoja.” Basi linafika kituoni. Mlango unafunguka. Watu wanaingia mmoja mmoja. Amina anasimama, lakini haingii. Baraka anauliza, “Huingii?” Amina anasema, “Ninaweza kusubiri basi jingine.” “Kwa nini?” “Kwa sababu nataka kusema kitu.” Baraka anasubiri. Dereva anapiga sauti kutoka ndani ya basi. Amina anasema, “Nimekuwa nikingoja uongee.” Baraka anasema, “Mimi pia nimekuwa nikingoja.” “Umejua nini?” “Kwamba nataka kukuona tena.” Amina anashika begi lake kwa nguvu. “Lakini tunaenda miji tofauti.” “Ndiyo.” “Na mimi nina kazi mpya.” “Ndiyo.” “Na wewe una kazi yako hapa.” “Ndiyo.” “Hatuwezi kuanza sasa.” Baraka anasema, “Hatuwezi kuanza sasa.” Amina anamwangalia. “Lakini tunaweza kuongea.” “Leo?” “Leo.” “Kesho?” “Kesho pia.” Dereva anapiga sauti tena. Amina anaingia kwenye basi. Baraka anasimama chini, akiwa na simu mkononi. Amina anakaa karibu na dirisha. Basi linaanza kwenda. Baraka anapiga simu kabla basi halijaondoka kabisa.