Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: Healing Hearts: A Reunion in the Psychiatric Ward
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/healing-hearts-a-reunion-in-the-psychiatric-ward

Story Transcript:

Af: Die son se strale speel deur die groot vensters van die psigiatriese saal, gooi harseem skaduwees op die blink vloer.
En: The sun's rays play through the large windows of the psychiatric ward, casting soft shadows on the shiny floor.

Af: Die atmosfeer ruik vars en steriel.
En: The atmosphere smells fresh and sterile.

Af: Buite, in die tuin, blom die eerste lentebloeisels - 'n simbool van nuwe begin en hoop.
En: Outside, in the garden, the first spring blooms are blossoming—symbols of new beginnings and hope.

Af: Frederik sit op sy bed. Hy hou 'n pen vas.
En: Frederik sits on his bed, holding a pen.

Af: Elke woord wat hy skryf, is swaar, maar vol betekenis.
En: Each word he writes is heavy but full of meaning.

Af: Hy skryf aan Elmarie, sy vervreemde suster.
En: He is writing to Elmarie, his estranged sister.

Af: Sy hand bewe effens, maar hy dwing homself om voort te gaan.
En: His hand trembles slightly, but he forces himself to continue.

Af: Die woorde op die papier is sy enigste manier om haar hart te bereik.
En: The words on the paper are his only way to reach her heart.

Af: Elmarie het vandag beloof om hom te besoek.
En: Elmarie promised to visit him today.

Af: 'n Baie aangename gevoel skuil diep binne haar, gemeng met 'n bietjie vrees.
En: A pleasant feeling is hidden deep inside her, mixed with a bit of fear.

Af: Sy het lanklaas saam met Frederik gepraat.
En: She hasn't spoken with Frederik in a long time.

Af: Die verlede dra swaar.
En: The past weighs heavily.

Af: Die herinnering aan haar broer se laaste episode maak haar huiwerig.
En: The memory of her brother's last episode makes her hesitant.

Af: Sy weet nie of sy gereed is vir teleurstelling nie.
En: She doesn't know if she is ready for disappointment.

Af: Tog kan sy nie haar nuuskierigheid onderdruk nie - het hy regtig verander?
En: Yet, she can't suppress her curiosity—has he really changed?

Af: Wanneer sy in die saal instap, is die lug gevul met die bekende geur van ontsmettingsmiddel.
En: When she enters the ward, the air is filled with the familiar scent of disinfectant.

Af: Die verpleegsters beweeg stil rondom die pasiënte, soms glimlaggend of 'n woord van gerustelling aanbied.
En: The nurses move quietly around the patients, sometimes offering a smile or a word of reassurance.

Af: Frederik staan op wanneer hy haar sien.
En: Frederik stands up when he sees her.

Af: Sy hande beweeg onseker.
En: His hands move uncertainly.

Af: “Hoi, Elmarie,” groet hy.
En: “Hey, Elmarie,” he greets.

Af: Sy stem is sag en opreg.
En: His voice is soft and sincere.

Af: Elmarie huiwer 'n oomblik, kyk in sy oë, probeer om agter die blou irisse 'n verandering te soek.
En: Elmarie hesitates for a moment, looks into his eyes, trying to find a change behind the blue irises.

Af: “Hallo, Frederik,” antwoord sy.
En: “Hello, Frederik,” she replies.

Af: Frederik gee haar die brief wat hy geskryf het.
En: Frederik gives her the letter he wrote.

Af: Hy kan nie dadelik die moed opbring om alles te sê wat hy op sy hart het nie.
En: He can't immediately muster the courage to say everything on his heart.

Af: Maar hierdie woorde, hierdie papier, dra al sy hoop.
En: But these words, this paper, carry all his hope.

Af: Terwyl Elmarie lees, hou Frederik sy asem op.
En: As Elmarie reads, Frederik holds his breath.

Af: Hy sien die twyfel op haar gesig, die oomblikke van spanning wanneer sy haar oë lig om na hom te kyk.
En: He sees the doubt on her face, the moments of tension when she lifts her eyes to look at him.

Af: Hy verlang om te weet wat in haar gedagtes aangaan.
En: He longs to know what is going on in her mind.

Af: Sy woorde is eenvoudig, maar eerlik.
En: His words are simple but honest.

Af: Hy skryf oor sy behandeling.
En: He writes about his treatment.

Af: Hy vertel van die ondersteuning wat hy van die terapeute kry, sy vasberadenheid om te herstel, sy begeerte om 'n nuwe begin te maak.
En: He talks about the support he receives from the therapists, his determination to recover, his desire to start anew.

Af: Bowan vir al skryf hy oor sy liefde vir haar, en sy spyt oor die dinge wat gesê en gedoen is.
En: Above all, he writes about his love for her and his regret for the things that were said and done.

Af: Uiteindelik vou Elmarie die brief toe.
En: Finally, Elmarie folds the letter.

Af: Daar is 'n stilte.
En: There is a silence.

Af: Binne hierdie stilte, balanseer die toekoms.
En: Within this silence, the future balances.

Af: Frederik se hart klop soos 'n trommel.
En: Frederik's heart beats like a drum.

Af: Elmarie,” fluister hy, "ek wil regkom. Vir jou, en vir my."
En: “Elmarie,” he whispers, "I want to get better. For you, and for me."

Af: Sy kyk hom stip aan, probeer om iets binne haarself te vind - vertroue, hoop, of dalk net die wil om te probeer.
En: She looks at him intently, trying to find something within herself—trust, hope, or perhaps just the will to try.

Af: Sy sug, 'n mengsel van uitputting en verligting.
En: She sighs, a mixture of exhaustion and relief.

Af: Ek is bereid om 'n kans te gee, Frederik,” sê sy uiteindelik. “Maar jy moet vir my wys dat jy ernstig is. Ek kan nie weer seergemaak word nie.
En: “I am willing to give it a chance, Frederik," she says at last. "But you need to show me that you're serious. I can't be hurt again."

Af: Frederik knik.
En: Frederik nods.

Af: Hy voel 'n golf van hoop deur hom spoel.
En: He feels a wave of hope wash over him.

Af: 'n Nuwe deur het vir hulle oopgegaan.
En: A new door has opened for them.

Af: Hy weet daar lê 'n lang pad voor, maar die eerste treë is geneem.
En: He knows there is a long road ahead, but the first steps have been taken.

Af: Buite groet die lentebloeisels die nuwe dag.
En: Outside, the spring blooms greet the new day.

Af: Binne die saal, begin twee brose harte heel word.
En: Inside the ward, two fragile hearts begin to heal.


Vocabulary Words:

• rays: strale
• psychiatric ward: psigiatriese saal
• casts: gooi
• blossoming: blom
• estranged: vervreemde
• trembles: bewe
• suppress: onderdruk
• curiosity: nuuskierigheid
• hesitant: huiwerig
• disinfectant: ontsmettingsmiddel
• reassurance: geruststelling
• sincere: opreg
• muster: opbring
• tension: spanning
• therapists: terapeute
• determination: vasberadenheid
• regret: spyt
• intently: stip
• exhaustion: uitputting
• relief: verligting
• fragile: brose
• sterile: steriel
• smiles: glimlaggend
• folds: vou
• balances: balanseer
• drum: trommel
• whispers: fluister
• trust: vertroue
• willing: bereid
• serious: ernstig