INFONIX INSTITUTE

CKET AT AG

ords from a tv program she watched. But Maranna avoided saying a word, or Helen would willingly pour a goo

rday," Helen said, standing before her wi

sat to hear the squeaky sounds of the gate's hinges, then a bang, signifying Helen

Maranna could see shoes and other miscellaneous items. Maranna stood on a plastic chair and rummaged through the shoes, empty insecticide containers, and pieces of papers to check if she could feel a book. When she co

...tenth...fifteenth. Still nothing. But, when she opened the sixteenth page, she saw a word boldly written in black ink -- GET. She recoiled, thinking it was a

om the doorway. "Now." She snapped her

brought her back to the house, or how she even managed to clear off all the characters from a book to

room, now!"

harmful. She couldn't pass through that way. She turned to the

w I would see you doing something stupid," Helen said. "What are you still doing here? I've got a light

e free doorway

e squeaked. She quickly ran off and hid behind the bus, watching Helen

he turne

g than Helen. It was the woman in the ankara

ject a full-fledged individual standing before you

and I don't want

cared of me because you don't see the ribbons. Means I sho

people without the ribbons," she said.

think I am bad?" She said. "Anyways, the person you talk of -- that doesn't seem nice -- was one o

a said. "What are you

in search. Minors play the Alfe-Bee match with what they see. Tell me. Aren't you tired of seeing just -- ribbons

a stoo

, baby, don't be left out. It's al

t connect with you so fast." She paused to rub her temples. "And what are all these te

lfe-Bee, it is something you must play, as well as everyone on Ea

no or something

he ribbons you see, a rac

? This confusion is p

said. "It is the ribbons you s

alked in rhymes. She stared

od well. I want to ask

, go

n daily basis, and before he leaves, he leaves her with one or two books -- weird

e. Other minors told me so when they returned from the institute," sh

aid. "I learnt he returned from a holiday

es

ch institute before.

ll your answers, little one

ns are means through which y

need to ask these funn

with you." She po

g at the receiving end when your sister throws t

"You heard the fight be

I have a nice car parked there. You join me to the Alfe-Bee field and see you

looked

u stay?" Mar

er, but Maranna spoke again. "And don't

nk that. Professor Adig

ow my d

d you will have

"As far as I would spend a who

e." She held Maranna's hand

flanked by arrays of grandiose buildings and masquerade tree

n array of tall masquerade trees with leaves so dense that their tru

d. "Is this

ut Maranna still sat inside the car, ch

where you are, young l

eyes off and got

m. It was like a plantation of masquerade trees; dense, tall, and concealing. Maranna rubbed her skin against t

e you are taking me to?

field, of cour

ks like, we just keep bumping into le

ght in front of

he

urrounded by masquerade trees, opened before them. Maranna's gaze swept along the

ight, coupled with the wafts of air that swayed along, made her inwardly happy. What fascinated her most wer

ead were in fluttering action. She saw two others in ankara wears and sunglasses, jumping in and out of the air with a racket and

ing yet," the lady call

t game seems interesting. I

rules need not be taken

both of them. The one with the ribbons on his head opened his eyes. He was good-looking, having the f

e lady said to them. "What have you done so far,

madiya. I hate there forever," He

ed brows. His style of response comp

rms," Maranna said quietly

eels like in ther

grotesque-form region,

ked a little smaller than the previo

ful. Always remember to do the needful when those hideous cre

instructions that needed to be followed while traversing them -- it s

a new one." She placed her

boy with the ribbons said,

d when Uwa arrived,

A proper introduction would start later." She turned to th

ed to win this game." He wasn't in the Ankara outfi

just one person. The front leg to the Infonix P

to herself. She had heard a l

u want to win?" T

d. I no more support

ady held Maranna's h

, it didn't take a minute to come out to a little compound where a humble bungalow st

parlor was almost empty, except for a brown settee that faced a hang

dy gestured to the se

ud of a refrigerator, and the lady placed a

uch because I probably can't fi

sat beside her. She w

adiya," she

olled her eyes. "What

is around. I thought y

just a fabricated name. Sounded out of place

gues until I have shown you a few things, so you

e, it looks like something I would

rea

much of me, do y

air and emerging with a ball in your racket. It requires swift

unched sp

ou enter and exit reg

they get in those regions? I just see

yourself a favor by see

teways to the regio

d on a crucial topic -- Inefficiency in National Power Supply. The woman held a few sheets of papers in her hand, throwing questions at th

ibbons?" Mamad

ast," Mar

ference between their r

screen. "The man

is it

e more glance.

ink. He thinks before giving a reply. The ribbons are

ght now?" Maranna said

you don't see answers in that question, then you have

sed the news when the man was about giving an answer. She spoke a few words and

the couch. "How did you do i

glasses. With it, I see the th

, can I

won't share my smoke

?" Mara

tle bit different from the ones my minors use out there. That was why I

as left d

d. "Come

florescent lights. On the walls of the room were s

ere dressed in fitting ankara gowns of distinguished designs and colors. Their hairstyles were uncanny; thick, glossy threads spun into lengthy spikes around their heads. Their birthmarks, which

uscular, and their ankara wears -- tight-fitting shirts and trousers -- looked good on them. Maranna felt uncomfortable looking at the picture

se people?"

alphenes; a race of preternatural beings who's specialties lie in weaving ribbons that convey

three dots below their eyes. "When you talk of the bridge between the human race and the alphene race, you see th

aranna made a sweeping ge

frames are alfe instructors like me. We prepare minors for the Monsoi

d love to be in," she said. "Are

dents there. Alfes like you from various planets converge at the Mon

about five of them, but she skipped one; a middle-aged man with a wooly, brown hair, gri

u play in the institute is to provide emergency ribbons when they are needed by the alphenes for pr

" Maran

l had humanoids of varying shapes and sizes,

ght ribbons, these are the outcomes. They are called thought-forms." She swept her hand along. "There's one I like -- Hasla -- he birthed the e

l-fledged creatures. How do the alphenes weav

ed. "They use

t the pictures of

y explaining how they weave with

her for a while.

pictures where she could see landscap

ands of schools and institutes, of which the Monsoid Infonix Institute is one. In

f weaving before they could bring

ld ribbons like that of alfes'. But when it comes to weaving impul

ing," Mar

hat would yield a unique thought-form which would be exhibited during the Mons

every passing minute," M

from distinguished planets. The Monsoid Infonix Institute accepts a set of six planets. Other institutes could accept more or less." She shrugged her shoulders. "When a new

ple from other planets in t

the world of thought-forms. A year there comprises of seven months, and

ng," Mara

year, they go on a

up, running her eyes, "-- thirt

said. "And when they're d

once again,"

ee match coming up in two weeks' time after a brief training tomorrow. If y

it," Mara

around during every tournament to play the role of a referee. He's over forty, and he'

love to play," she said. "I want to have

really don't know where

o think. "Th

nswer," Mamadiya said. "You'd

aranna said. "Wish I

said. "You so are

ow

before playing Alfe-Bee is seeing in

hesitating

plex issues." She walked to a refrigerator standing

hey enable you see into tho

d the room. The lights in the room

houghts like t

In that state you see nothing in th

anna said. "

eflective of l

I get,"

ls outdoors, after which we return

'd be taki

t her. "Let's hit

Marann

here a bus stop was situated and parked a me

op. We need to do som

nodded

ng," Mamadiya said. "To see the images, you focus on the ribbons with ar

anna nodded

hat man in a brown T-shirt and jean

ugh the windscreen.

p. "His ribbons are fast.

a young man in front of him. The young man in front hung a backpack on one shoulder, probably waiting for a bus. She s

ething from the young

have some catching to

ing to catch him

ow to do this." She opene

came dow

behind a hard-looking guy with rough markings on his arms.

im?" S

You only anger them if you are in need of trouble." She

h, mommy good afternoon m

man there." She pointed to the pickpocket. "Watc

ocket scratching the back of his head

e called three other men and alerted them silently. Gradually, everyone got the messa

ace got rowdy immediately. People scurried towards the theft scene to see the pickpocket already receiving beatings and lethal punches from the boys around, after the own

Mamadiya turned to Marann

the vehicle