INFONIX INSTITUTE

At thirteen, Maranna still couldn't give explanations on what she had always seen around people's heads all through her life. She described it as shiny ribbons that fluttered around every head she saw. She had no idea what these ribbons were or why she had to see them. She incessantly bugged her parents over this, and it made them see reasons to go on a leisurely trip to Qatar, leaving her and her elder sister, Helen, under the watch of their neighbor, Ajoke, who lived at the other side of the lane.

One day, Ajoke visited them with a good-looking boy, whom she introduced to Maranna and Helen as Moshood, her nephew. Maranna saw him and was taken aback. Though he seemed about her age, she observed some unusual things on him: his head was void of the ribbons, and he had a line of three eyelike birthmarks below his left eye, which she had, too. The way he looked back at her seemed he observed something unusual about her, as well. He turned away from her gaze and, after that day, ceased to come.

On a drizzling Saturday, Moshood suddenly visited and, to Maranna's surprise, became friends with Helen. In a lengthy discussion between them both, he sounded nerdy and fun to talk with, and before he left, Maranna saw him give Helen a medium-sized book, which Helen prevented her from seeing. He visited two more times and gave out some more books to Helen before leaving.

A week later, in the early days of July, Moshood came when Helen wasn't at home, and from that scene, our story begins. Behind the lobby door, Maranna watched him through a thin gap. He stood with the book pressed to his chest, staring around the house, without asking to know where Helen was. After a while of staring, he stuffed the book in the couch and left.

Maranna waited to hear the thud of the door before coming out to see the book he had dropped. She briskly walked to where it was erected between the foamy seats and pulled it out, gaping around it's weird cover page.

"Children of the Gheshem's Magnetar," she read out the title.

She shifted her view to the image on it; a blue sun with a large keyhole in it's face. She mused over it for a while but later shrugged off the thoughts to lift the book's cover. At that point, she heard Helen's voice from outside. She sounded like she was on a phone call. Maranna quickly stuffed the book into the couch and sat on it. Helen was still on the call when she came in, and when she was done, a cold silence gripped the living room.

"I met with Moshood outside the gate," Helen said.

Maranna sighed. "Tells he should have spent a bit more time gazing around the parlor."

"Same time you've spent sitting on what he had dropped," Helen said. "You need to get up from that couch now. What did you read in it?"

Maranna, seeing the ribbons around her head fluttering speedily, reluctantly got up. Helen reached for the book and saw the edges of the leaves crumpled.

She glared at Maranna. "Tell me what you read in it."

Maranna gave back the stare. "I really don't know what you and Moshood are up to, Helen." She fell to the couch. "I didn't read it, though."

"Such a feeble lie," Helen said. "You took --"

"Actually, I was about lifting the cover when I heard your voice from outside, and I quickly stuffed it back," Maranna said.

Helen stood with a doubting expression.

"What?" Maranna said. "You both can go on with whatever thing you have, provided you don't blow up the house."

The final expression on Helen's face told her tension had calmed a bit. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I'll be going to Ajoke's salon to braid my hair, care?"

Maranna ran her fingers through her unmade hair. "You would pay for mine, too?"

"That could be arranged later," Helen said. "For now, just a leg from you."

Maranna yawned and looked around. "This house could be boring, though."

"That's a yes?" Helen asked.

Maranna nodded.

"Let me go change into something else," she said and walked to the lobby door, then turned back to Maranna. "You do same."

Maranna watched her leave, the speed of her ribbons gradually calming. She shrugged and got up.

The sun burned their necks while they walked along the tarred road of Chief Ubani Street, Independence Layout, where their house was situated. Their eyes were fixed on the honk-filled junction in front, where they could see cars and okada riders swiftly driving past.

They came out to the busy road, filled with strident honks and yells from bus drivers. Maranna loved viewing the ribbons here, because they were usually in quick action; flapping and swinging around all heads, especially while drivers yelled at each other.

They approached a computer center, and Maranna's attention was drawn to a middle-aged woman sitting beside an advertisement board. She was wearing a purple ankara boubou with a matching scarf around her head. Maranna got that sudden chill she had when she first saw Moshood. Just like Moshood's, the lady's head was void of the ribbons. Maranna kept squinting and moving her head slightly to check below her left eye. She was startled to see the birthmarks there. The woman seemed shocked, as well, when her eyes met with Maranna's. They both had a lengthy stare at each other until Maranna passed her. Maranna turned around and caught her still staring. She quickly faced forward and continued.

They reached Ajoke's salon; a mini salon with posters of distinguished braids pasted on the four walls. They entered and saw Ajoke and a pregnant lady doing lengthy braids on a long-mouthed lady, whose image they saw in the mirror. And her mouth ran restlessly in talks with both of them.

Ajoke gushed when she saw them. "My fine babes," she said, chewing a gum that made smack-smack sounds all over. She offered them a pair of seats at a corner.

"You girls will have to wait a little," Ajoke said. "We are almost done with this one."

The pregnant lady glanced at them. "Their style of composure is similar. Are they sisters?"

"You can see the resemblance," Ajoke said. "But the younger one is more quiet." She glanced at Helen and sniggered. "I still don't know why my nephew didn't choose to chase her. He chose this one called Helen instead."

"And who told you Moshood is after me?" Helen said. "He is only being friendly."

"By stuffing books in our couch," Maranna said.

Helen nudged her, flashing a scowl.

"Ah, his books have reached your house too?" Ajoke said. "My elder brother he used to live with told me that, after returning from a holiday last year, he came back with plenty books and shared them around." She paused and arched her lips. "And he kept going out and returning home with more copies of the books, to share to more people."

"What kind of holiday is that?" The pregnant lady asked.

"I don't know. It's between him and his uncle," Ajoke said.

"Yes, he told me of the holiday he normally went on during this period," Helen said. "But he said he wouldn't be going this year, for reasons best known to him."

"What kind of books does he give to you?" the pregnant lady asked.

"Well, I'm just starting the first one he gave me. It's just a tale, nothing serious in it," she said.

"So, why do you prevent me from seeing?" Maranna said.

"Cause he said it's beyond you," Helen said. "Well, the one I'm reading seems pretty interesting."

"Ajoke," the pregnant lady said, "you haven't cared to know what those books are?"

"No, no, I don't like books, please. If it won't teach me how to braid with a single hand count me out," Ajoke said.

They all laughed.

"But, at least, as his aunty, you need to know what he is up to," the lady in front of the mirror said.

Ajoke smacked the gum a few times. "Okay, I will."

"It's nothing to be worried about," Helen said. "He said the books are very interesting, and he wanted everyone to read them, too. That's why he shares his books to people."

"He wants everyone to read, yet advises you to keep them from me," Maranna said.

"You are not of age, Maranna," Helen said. "I don't know what I was thinking when I asked you to join me here."

"No, don't talk like that," the lady in front of the mirror said. "She is your sister. No matter what she does, don't mind."

Ajoke laughed. "Don't mind Helen. They behave like dog and cat, but touch Maranna and see Helen's craze."

They all laughed. Helen gasped and placed her eyes on the rapid movements of Ajoke's fingers. They were almost done with the lady. Helen quickly took the scarf off her dense hair.

When Ajoke was done with everything, Helen took out the braids she had in her bag alongside her hair cream, while the other lady stood aside, caressing her hair and admiring herself in the mirror. She turned to Maranna and winked.

"For my sister's wedding this weekend," she said.

Maranna smiled at her.

Helen was about going to sit at the mirror when she looked at the hair attachments she had.

"Oh my goodness." She hit her forehead.

"What is it, my dear?" The pregnant lady asked.

Helen showed her the attachments she held. "I brought the wrong one." She fell back to her seat.

"Ehe, nothing spoil," the lady who finished doing her hair said. "You can send your sister to go and bring it."

"Hope your house isn't far from here," the pregnant lady said.

"No, it's not far." Ajoke said. "Mara baby, could you go get it?"

Maranna got up.

"You know where it is, right? Inside the drawer beside my bed," Helen said.

Maranna nodded and walked out.

Maranna got out of the salon and saw the lady with the ankara boubou again. Her heart plunged into her blood stream and back to it's position. The lady stood beside the salon, staring at her with dark glasses, gently moving her head while Maranna passed by. Maranna quickly took off her gaze and sped up.

She entered the street that led to her house and saw a young girl that seemed her age walking along the other side of the lane, smiling lopsidedly. She was dressed in ankara, as well, but not boubou. Her's was in form of a vest with a fitting pair of trousers that barely gripped her legs. She stared at Maranna with a head void of the ribbons, and she had the birth marks, too. She had two lengthy, thick braids that ran down her collar bone, resting on her chest, and her pretty looks were somewhat tomboyish. Maranna was gripped by fear when she saw her. She wondered why she had to see weird things for the day. She took her eyes off and continued walking.

She walked along a provision stall and saw a bald boy of about her age. He was dressed in the ankara, as well, and he had the same weird features.

"Be calm," Maranna said to herself, her legs knocking against each other as her pace increased.

The boy had a more disturbing look. He had a pair of adjoined eyebrows which made him look aggressive. He kept following her movements. With a pounding heart, she looked forward and saw the old bus that was parked in front of her gate and sighed in relief.

At the gate, a foolscap sheet with a note was pasted. She read the line with the boldest characters -- ALFE-BEE. Though confused, she couldn't spend the next second outside. She took it off and quickly entered the gate, locking it behind and breathing hard. She looked at the paper and it read.

ALFE-BEE

(A new cycle presents itself)

You could see them; glossy and grey

You could see them; they flutter and sway

If you could peek into what you see what would you say

You must play the Alfe-Bee match to make a way.

She scrunched her face. What she read made not a jot of sense to her. She read it one more time, but the more she read the more her head quaked. She squeezed it and threw it away. She got into the house and stayed in her room, not willing to go out again. Helen and every other person in the salon could wait for all she cared. She laid in bed, watching the slow rotation of the ceiling fan.

When it neared evening, she heard loud bangs on the gate and got up in fright. The bangs kept coming, then she heard Helen's voice. "Maranna, Maranna, open this gate!"

Maranna quickly ran out of the house and unlocked the gate. Helen forcefully pushed it open and Maranna lurched backwards.

"Maranna, what's the meaning of this?" Her eyes were red. "What had kept you?"

Maranna ran her lips aimlessly, moping at her.

"I sat there waiting for you while someone else took my turn. Maranna, what happened?"

Maranna still stared.

Helen tightened her fists and opened them up. "I don't know what to say to you. Thanks for spoiling my day. I'll go back tomorrow." She walked out.

Maranna took pity on her and gently closed the gate.

THE PICKPOCKET AT AGRIC BUS STOP

Helen's persistent murmurs the next day itched Maranna's ears so well that she couldn't grasp some vital words from a tv program she watched. But Maranna avoided saying a word, or Helen would willingly pour a good dose of her frustrations on her. All she had to do was cross her legs and fix her eyes on the television.

"Once again, thanks for spoiling my yesterday," Helen said, standing before her with a bag containing the right attachments.

Maranna ignored her and focused on the television. Helen gnarred and left. Maranna sat to hear the squeaky sounds of the gate's hinges, then a bang, signifying Helen was out. She quickly kept the remote control and rested her eyes on the lobby door.

The lobby was a dark passageway with three doors fixed to one side. Maranna opened the door that led to Helen's room and got circumscribed by a cold sensation. There was an open wall above Helen's wardrobe from where 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 couldn't find any, she got down and opened one arm of the wardrobe. She rubbed her hands around and deep inside the base of the wardrobe until she hit something that felt like a book. She took it out and read the title.

"Mystery of The Higgs Troika." Sounded strange, but seemed interesting to her. She opened the first page, but saw nothing. She opened the second, nothing. Third...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 subtle guide to something. She flipped the next six pages and the whole thing read -- GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!! Maranna quivered and the book slipped off her hand.

"Yes, you read it right," Helen said from the doorway. "Now." She snapped her fingers. "Do as the book has instructed."

Maranna stood in knee-shaking fright, wondering how Helen knew she had gone to search her room, or what brought her back to the house, or how she even managed to clear off all the characters from a book to fix hers. She began to fear the person standing in front of the doorway, she doubted it was her sister.

"Leave this room, now!" Helen said.

Maranna found Helen's presence at the doorway frightening and harmful. She couldn't pass through that way. She turned to the window, as though it were possible to leave through the window.

"Now I see the hair cream I should have taken to the salon slipped off my mind for a good reason. I knew I would see you doing something stupid," Helen said. "What are you still doing here? I've got a lighter in my drawer, I could gas you with it right now." She left the doorway for the drawer beside her bed.

Maranna saw the free doorway and ran out.

She came out of the gate with heavy breaths. In a few minutes, the gate squeaked. She quickly ran off and hid behind the bus, watching Helen walk out. She took a deep sigh, but felt a warm touch on her shoulder.

"Hei!" She turned around.

What she saw turned out to be more frightening than Helen. It was the woman in the ankara boubou. She yelped and began walking backwards.

"You rejected our letter, young lady, would you reject a full-fledged individual standing before you?" The lady said, pushing the crotch of her glasses.

"I don't know you, and I don't want to," Maranna said.

The lady laughed and began walking towards her. "You are scared of me because you don't see the ribbons. Means I should equally be scared of you, because I don't see any, too."

Maranna swallowed hard. "I don't like people without the ribbons," she said. "I know one, and he doesn't seem nice."

"If everyone without the ribbons were bad, then check yourself. But if you feel you are good, why think I am bad?" She said. "Anyways, the person you talk of -- that doesn't seem nice -- was one of my minors." She took off her glasses. "Yes, he is quite -- wilful. He left us for some reasons."

"Your minors," Maranna said. "What are you talking about, woman?"

"The month of July begins a new cycle," she said. "Prior to this period, I got a hint of a new minor, and I went in search. Minors play the Alfe-Bee match with what they see. Tell me. Aren't you tired of seeing just -- ribbons, everywhere you go? Haven't you thought of knowing what those things are and how to make them be at your service?"

Maranna stood still.

"There are just a few of us around, baby, don't be left out. It's all fun when you begin to use them."

"Yes, I really wish to know what the sickening ribbons are all about. But, I just can't connect with you so fast." She paused to rub her temples. "And what are all these terms you're using? Minors --" She looked up to recall the next one. "-- Alfe-Bee match?"

"The first is something you'd know at my place," she said. "For Alfe-Bee, it is something you must play, as well as everyone on Earth who's life is tangled with sights of ribbons here and there."

"You run a casino or something?" Maranna asked.

"You play Alfe-Bee with the ribbons you see, a racket and the Bee," she said.

"A racket and the Bee? This confusion is pissing," Maranna said

"Be my minor first," the lady said. "It is the ribbons you see, so I just can't let you be."

Maranna noticed she mostly talked in rhymes. She stared at her, muttering to herself.

"You seem to know Moshood well. I want to ask something," Maranna said.

"Yes, go on."

"There's something about Moshood I don't seem to get. He visits my sister almost on daily basis, and before he leaves, he leaves her with one or two books -- weird books with weird names -- and Helen forbids me from laying a finger on any of them."

"Moshood absconded with those books from the Monsoid Infonix Institute. Other minors told me so when they returned from the institute," she said. "But I don't know his intentions -- I don't see his ribbons."

"The Monsoid Infonix Institute?" Maranna said. "I learnt he returned from a holiday with the books, was it from an Institute?"

"Yes."

"Haven't heard of such institute before. When was it built?"

"I've told you how to get all your answers, little one. Come with me. Be my minor."

"Wait," she said. "The ribbons are means through which you see people's intentions?"

"Be my minor and see no need to ask these funny questions," she said.

"But, I can't come with you." She pointed to the gate.

"What do you gain by staying in that house? Being at the receiving end when your sister throws tantrums," she said. "And almost getting gassed."

Maranna's jaw dropped. "You heard the fight between I and my sister?"

"Like I said, be my minor and you won't have a need for these funny questions. I have a nice car parked there. You join me to the Alfe-Bee field and see your mates there." She pointed to a black Lexus SUV at the other side of the lane.

Maranna looked at it.

"Where do you stay?" Maranna asked.

The woman smiled, about to give an answer, but Maranna spoke again. "And don't think it's because of the car, though."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't think that. Professor Adighibe has flashier ones."

"You know my dad, how?"

"Be my minor and you will have no need for --"

"Okay, okay. I'm in," she said. "As far as I would spend a whole day free of Helen's troubles."

"Alfe-Bee, you have a newbie." She held Maranna's hand and took her to the vehicle.

She lived at the far end of Lawson Street; a stately street flanked by arrays of grandiose buildings and masquerade trees, with good-looking men and women doing morning exercises.

She arrived at the end of the street, which was totally blocked by an array of tall masquerade trees with leaves so dense that their trunks were almost hidden. She parked beside one of the masquerade trees.

Maranna gazed. "Is this the place?"

"Let's get down first." She got down, but Maranna still sat inside the car, checking for a structure behind the trees.

"You won't see anything where you are, young lady," she said to her.

Maranna took her eyes off and got down from the car.

They entered a thin space between two masquerade trees and a dense matrix of masquerade trees opened before them. It was like a plantation of masquerade trees; dense, tall, and concealing. Maranna rubbed her skin against the leaves from time to time. At times, using her hand to push aside some drooping branches that grazed her eyes.

"Please, can I know where you are taking me to? At least," Maranna said.

"The Alfe-Bee field, of course," she said.

"You never told me what the place looks like, we just keep bumping into leaves without having a break," she said.

"The break is right in front of you." She pointed.

"Where?"

The lady parted the branches of two masquerade trees, and a wide, grassy field, surrounded by masquerade trees, opened before them. Maranna's gaze swept along the field's circumference, and she saw an ascending mini stand sitting majestically.

Her eyes popped out when they came out to the airy field, which had goal nets on four cardinal points. The sight, coupled with the wafts of air that swayed along, made her inwardly happy. What fascinated her most were the people she saw there, moving with playful but odd vibes. Maranna sensed it was an unusual kind of game.

She saw a boy, who seemed a bit older than her, standing in the middle of the field with eyes closed, and the ribbons above his head were in fluttering action. She saw two others in ankara wears and sunglasses, jumping in and out of the air with a racket and a blue ball sized like a tightened fist. It seemed the game involved getting the ball and dashing it into any of the goal nets.

"You haven't seen anything yet," the lady called Maranna's attention.

Maranna turned to her. "That game seems interesting. Is it what you call Alfe-Bee?"

"It's a bit rough. Some rules need not be taken for granted. Let's walk."

They approached the middle of the field and the kids jumped out of the air and stood still, staring at both of them. The one with the ribbons on his head opened his eyes. He was good-looking, having the facial looks of the woman, but he had no birthmarks below his eye. Maranna thought he might be her son.

"I never told you guys to quit the training," the lady said to them. "What have you done so far, Bala? from which region did you pick the ball?"

"The region of illusion-forms, Mamadiya. I hate there forever," He said, his eyes fixed on Maranna.

Maranna recognized him by his adjoined brows. His style of response complemented his looks; he sounded toxic.

"The region of illusion-forms," Maranna said quietly. It sounded eerie to her.

"I know what it feels like in there," the lady said.

"Isn't as spooky as the grotesque-form region," the young girl said.

Maranna recognized her, too. She looked a little smaller than the previous day. Her voice was a little deep.

"Yes, that, too," the lady said. "But you all need to be careful. Always remember to do the needful when those hideous creatures get hostile. And, as well, don't misplace your glasses."

From what Maranna had heard so far -- the names of the regions and the instructions that needed to be followed while traversing them -- it seemed learning and mastering the game would be a kind of rocket science.

"You all can see, we've got a new one." She placed her palm on Maranna's shoulder.

"And real beautiful," the boy with the ribbons said, bobbing his brows at her.

"Same thing you said when Uwa arrived," the bald boy said.

"You all need to continue your training," Mamadiya said. "A proper introduction would start later." She turned to the boy with the ribbons. "Koko, hope you aren't tired yet."

"Not really, mommy," he said. "There's someone I need to win this game." He wasn't in the Ankara outfit; he was in a singlet and a pair of jean trousers.

"Good to hear, Koko. But, please, don't hope for just one person. The front leg to the Infonix Portal must be given to one who truly merits it."

"Infonix Portal?" Maranna said to herself. She had heard a lot of strange terms for the day.

"And who is it you want to win?" The bald boy asked.

"I've changed my mind. I no more support anyone," Koko said.

"Now, return." The lady held Maranna's hand and took her away.

Maranna and the lady entered the masquerade trees in front, and to Maranna's surprise, it didn't take a minute to come out to a little compound where a humble bungalow stood. Beside it was a thatched shed, and at the other side was a dwarfed coconut tree.

Maranna wasn't gripped by the awe she expected when she got in. The parlor was almost empty, except for a brown settee that faced a hanging plasma television. Maranna guessed she just built the apartment.

"Have a seat." The lady gestured to the settee and walked out.

In a few minutes, Maranna heard the dull thud of a refrigerator, and the lady placed a plate containing a banana bunch before her.

"Thank you so much, ma'am. So much because I probably can't finish this," she said and giggled.

The lady laughed and sat beside her. She was without the glasses.

"Call me Mamadiya," she said to her.

"Mamadiya." Maranna rolled her eyes. "What sort of name is that?"

"Mamadiya, meaning mama is around. I thought you were an Igbo woman."

"Oh, oh, now it makes sense. I thought it was just a fabricated name. Sounded out of place to me, Sorry." She pulled one from the bunch.

"I chose not to introduce you yet to your colleagues until I have shown you a few things, so you wouldn't sound too naive to them," Mamadiya said.

"I'm still fascinated about the game, it looks like something I would love to take part in," Maranna said.

"Oh, really?"

"You don't know much of me, do you?" Maranna said.

Mamadiya laughed. "Well, that game is not just jumping into the air and emerging with a ball in your racket. It requires swift calculations, smart navigations, quick reactions, and brevity."

Maranna munched speechlessly.

"In a clipped form, you enter and exit regions," Mamadiya said.

"Interesting," Maranna said. "How do they get in those regions? I just see them jumping in and out of the air."

"Not until you have done yourself a favor by seeing into those ribbons."

"The ribbons are gateways to the regions?" Maranna asked.

Mamadiya took up the remote control from the table and put on the television. It displayed the NTA news channel. A man and a lady discussed on a crucial topic -- Inefficiency in National Power Supply. The woman held a few sheets of papers in her hand, throwing questions at the man, and he would look up for a few seconds and answer. Maranna saw their ribbons fluttering rapidly, and those of the man's were faster.

"You see the ribbons?" Mamadiya asked her.

"Pretty fast," Maranna said.

"Could you tell the difference between their ribbons?" Mamadiya asked.

She peered at the screen. "The man's own is faster."

"Why is it so?"

Maranna took one more glance. "I don't know."

"His is faster because he is straining his mind to think. He thinks before giving a reply. The ribbons are simply a physical image of what thoughts look like."

"I see his thoughts right now?" Maranna said with a faltering smile.

"Seeing just ribbons is equivalent to a question. If you don't see answers in that question, then you have something to bother about." She got up. "Wait here."

She came out a minute later, wearing the familiar glasses. She sat down and paused the news when the man was about giving an answer. She spoke a few words and played back the news. Maranna heard the man say exactly what Mamadiya had said.

"Oh, wow!" Maranna bounced on the couch. "How did you do it? Please, please, tell me."

"I did it with the help of my glasses. With it, I see the thoughts like I'm watching TV."

"Please, can I see?"

Mamadiya laughed. "I won't share my smoke glasses with another."

"Really?" Maranna said.

"Some things you don't want to see," she said. "My own glasses are a little bit different from the ones my minors use out there. That was why I was able to see a lot of details about you through your sister's ribbons."

Maranna was left dumbfounded.

She smiled. "Come with me."

She led Maranna into an air-conditioned room lit by florescent lights. On the walls of the room were several pictures of weird beings, figures, and places.

Maranna walked in slowly, gazing around the room with a heart full of questions. The ones that caught her attention the most were the outlandish faces she saw; beings of exotic looks. The women were 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 formed a circle around their left eyes, were bold and thick, and their lips were colored in black. They looked eerily beautiful to Maranna; a beauty that could invoke fear and admiration at once.

The men, on the other hand, had dreadlocks that poured down their shoulders, and they had the circular birthmarks, too. They looked huge and muscular, and their ankara wears -- tight-fitting shirts and trousers -- looked good on them. Maranna felt uncomfortable looking at the pictures; their eyes were abnormally large, and she could sense them blinking at her. She also took glances at other beings with uncanny expressions.

"Who are these people?" Maranna asked.

"I call this place the Infonix Hall," Mamadiya said. "Most of the people you see are known as alphenes; a race of preternatural beings who's specialties lie in weaving ribbons that convey thoughts, making living thought-forms off it. I'm sure you must have heard of thought-forms."

She walked to a part of the wall where pictures of people that looked like humans were hung. They had the familiar three dots below their eyes. "When you talk of the bridge between the human race and the alphene race, you see there are just a few of us. We are alfes. We seem not to possess thought ribbons, but we do. The alphenes see them."

"These here are alfes?" Maranna made a sweeping gesture along the pictures.

"You, as well, are one," she said. "Most of the alfes you see in these frames are alfe instructors like me. We prepare minors for the Monsoid Infonix Institute. Each of them inhabits an extraterrestrial planet."

"The institute sounds like one I'd love to be in," she said. "Are there any exams taken to get in?"

"Hold your horses for now," Mamadiya said. "The alphenes are the students there. Alfes like you from various planets converge at the Monsoid Infonix Institute to serve a purpose you would know in a jiffy."

She began naming each of the alfe instructors and the planets they came from. They were about five of them, but she skipped one; a middle-aged man with a wooly, brown hair, grinning. Maranna called her attention to it, but she ignored and delved into the next topic.

"Those alfe instructors prepare their minors for the institute," she said. "The roles alfes like you play in the institute is to provide emergency ribbons when they are needed by the alphenes for practical purposes, or when a particular kind of thought-form is needed by a department or a faculty."

"I see," Maranna said.

She led Maranna to the adjacent wall. The wall had humanoids of varying shapes and sizes, looks and demeanors; both scary and pleasing.

"When we ardently think of something, they leave our minds in form of ribbons into the world of thought-forms. When the alphenes weave the thought ribbons, these are the outcomes. They are called thought-forms." She swept her hand along. "There's one I like -- Hasla -- he birthed the electricity you enjoy today." She pointed up at an image of a humanoid with white, flowing hair and white eyes, covered in electrical discharges.

"Thought-forms," Maranna said. "These are full-fledged creatures. How do the alphenes weave these things? With giant needles or what?"

Mamadiya smiled. "They use their hair."

Maranna glimpsed at the pictures of the alphenes. "How?"

"Don't wish to spend the whole day explaining how they weave with their hair. You'd see it yourself."

Maranna moped at her for a while. "Okay," she said.

She took Maranna to another array of pictures where she could see landscapes, meadows, and grandiose buildings.

"The world of thought-forms is a vast place, having regions, settlements and thousands of schools and institutes, of which the Monsoid Infonix Institute is one. In there, alphenes learn and teach the art of weaving thoughts to make thought-forms."

"Alphenes need to learn the art of weaving before they could bring thoughts to life?" Maranna said.

"Alphenes are born with an inherent gift of weaving, especially mild ribbons like that of alfes'. But when it comes to weaving impulsive ribbons like that of humans', they need to be schooled on it."

"Interesting," Maranna said.

"At the end of each year, each faculty in the institute embarks on a project that would yield a unique thought-form which would be exhibited during the Monsoid End-Of-Year Ceremony. And the faculty with the best of bests wins an award."

"Things sound thrilling every passing minute," Maranna said with a smile.

Mamadiya faced her. "Like I said earlier, we are faced with a new cycle; a period in the mid-days of July, whereby the Infonix region readies itself to accept alfes coming 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 cycle comes, the portal to the Infonix region could be opened through a mechanism called Aether Flexing. And this is achieved by playing Alfe-Bee. It's played universally."

"And after that we meet people from other planets in the institute," Maranna said.

"Rightly pinned," Mamadiya said. "Time here runs differently from time in the world of thought-forms. A year there comprises of seven months, and spending a year there equals spending the months of July and August here."

"Intriguing," Maranna said.

"After each academic year, they go on a five-year vacation --"

"That's about --" Maranna looked up, running her eyes, "-- thirty-five months they spend at home."

"Smart of you," Mamadiya said. "And when they're done another cycle opens."

"And we visit once again," Maranna said.

Mamadiya placed a palm on her shoulder. "You will participate in the Alfe-Bee match coming up in two weeks' time after a brief training tomorrow. If you don't fail to make it here tomorrow, you would see how it's being done."

"Can't wait," Maranna said.

"So, tomorrow, the training starts. One of my colleagues, Karibi; a retired alfe, comes around during every tournament to play the role of a referee. He's over forty, and he's still super-active. The game is nothing to be feared, and it's not so hard to learn."

"No matter how dangerous the game is, I'd love to play," she said. "I want to have a feel of jumping in and out of the air."

Mamadiya laughed. "You really don't know where they jump into, do you?"

She paused to think. "The regions?"

"You don't seem sure of your answer," Mamadiya said. "You'd learn and have a try tomorrow."

"Sounds like fun," Maranna said. "Wish I could start today."

"Today?" Mamadiya said. "You so are not prepared dear."

"How?"

"The first thing you want to master before playing Alfe-Bee is seeing into thought-ribbons. Can you do that?"

"No," she hesitatingly replied.

"Then you need to learn that before delving into complex issues." She walked to a refrigerator standing close to the door and took out a pair of dark glasses.

"These are smoke glasses. They enable you see into thoughts." She gave it to her.

Maranna put it on and looked around the room. The lights in the room lost their glares, appearing dim.

"I could see thoughts like this?" She said.

"You know, the ribbons are glossy. In that state you see nothing in them. You begin by making them matte."

"Matte," Maranna said. "What's matte?"

"Dull -- not reflective of light -- dull."

"Oh, now I get," she said.

"We would need to do some practicals outdoors, after which we return here and place back the glasses."

"Thought I'd be taking it home?"

Mamadiya stared at her. "Let's hit the streets now."

"Fine," Maranna said.

Mamadiya drove to a busy and bustling area where a bus stop was situated and parked a meter from the bus stop. She turned to Maranna.

"This is Agric bus stop. We need to do something serious here."

Maranna nodded. "Okay."

"I didn't tell you that seeing through the glasses alone shows you nothing," Mamadiya said. "To see the images, you focus on the ribbons with ardor and dim your eyes gradually. At a critical point, you see the images."

"Okay." Maranna nodded impatiently.

"That's good," she said. "Look at that man in a brown T-shirt and jean trousers. You see him?" She pointed.

Maranna peered through the windscreen. "Yes, I see him."

"Good." Mamadiya thumbed-up. "His ribbons are fast. Tell me what you see there."

Maranna dimmed her eyes until his ribbons dissolved into moving images of him pulling out a smart phone from the bag of a young man in front of him. The young man in front hung a backpack on one shoulder, probably waiting for a bus. She saw the pickpocket restlessly tarrying around the young man. Maranna widened her eyes immediately and turned to Mamadiya.

"He wants to steal something from the young man with a schoolbag."

Mamadiya smiled. "We have some catching to do. Let's get down."

"Wait, we are going to catch him?" Maranna said.

"Just come down. I know how to do this." She opened the door and got down.

Maranna came down, too.

Mamadiya and Maranna walked close to the bus stop and stood behind a hard-looking guy with rough markings on his arms. Mamadiya attempted to tap him, but Maranna held her hand.

"Why him?" She said.

Mamadiya laughed. "Men like this could be very polite. You only anger them if you are in need of trouble." She faced the man and tapped him. "Bia, nna, how are you?"

The man turned around. "Ah, mommy good afternoon ma, anything for your boy?"

Mamadiya glanced at Maranna and smiled. "See that man there." She pointed to the pickpocket. "Watch him, he wants to steal something from that boy."

"Haa." The man turned to see the pickpocket scratching the back of his head and looking around with his bulgy eyes.

The young man quickly went close to the pickpocket and pretended to look elsewhere. He called three other men and alerted them silently. Gradually, everyone got the message of what was about happening, while Mamadiya and Maranna folded their arms watching.

The pickpocket gently pulled the zip of the bag and dipped his hand, pulling out a sizeable packet. At that point, someone held his hand and raised an alarm. The whole place 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 owner of the phone had been handed back his phone. The owner hung his bag on both shoulders and began pounding the man with his fists, amongst other blows he was receiving.

"I sense an escalation." Mamadiya turned to Maranna. "It's time to leave."

They got into the vehicle and drove off.

THE ALFE-BEE MATCH

As instructed by Mamadiya after dropping her off at her place, Maranna happily arrived the next morning with a notebook and a pen. She got to the shed beside Mamadiya's house and saw the three players in a cheerful discussion. She happily joined them and everyone muted.

"A pretty morning," She said with a smile.

"Hello, dear. You must be Maranna," Mamadiya's son said. "My mom said alot about you last evening."

"Thought you were instructed to teach her some basics, Koko," the bald boy said.

"Mamadiya wasn't specific on whom to teach her," the girl said.

"And you alfes are in a better position to teach her. You know all the rules better than I do," Mamadiya's son said.

The bald boy and the girl exchanged brief glances.

The girl turned to Maranna and smiled. "Sorry for seeming a little -- unorganized. I'm Uwa." She turned to the bald boy. "He is Bala."

"You know my name already, right?" Koko winked.

"Heard it a minute ago -- Koko," Maranna said.

He grinned heartily.

"You two look familiar," Maranna said to Bala and Uwa.

"We know where the familiarity comes from," Uwa said. "But that's not why you're here. We need to get down to business at once."

She took up a black marker and walked to a white board in the middle of the shed. It had some diagrams and a few writings on it.

"Mamadiya must have explained a few things to you the previous day. So, I'll start by telling you why we play Alfe-Bee." She cleared her throat. "The portal that leads to the world of thought-forms is called the Infonix Portal. The Infonix Force needed to open up this portal is one that needs to be honed, coaxed, and strengthened. This is achieved by a mechanism called Aether Flexing. We flex the Infonix Force by playing Alfe-Bee. Understood?"

Maranna nodded.

"Mamadiya has taught you how to see into the thought ribbons, right?" She said.

"Yes, we tried it yesterday," Maranna said.

"Okay," Uwa said. "Each time you see into someone's thoughts you become open to a mild version of the Infonix Force."

Maranna readied her pen.

"This Force opens up the aether whorl; a portal to various regions in the world of thought-forms. These regions are where distinguished species of thought-forms live."

Maranna scribbled.

"Alright. Our next focus would be on the regions," she said. "When Alfe-Bee kicks off, the ball --"

"Point of correction," Bala said, "the Bee."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "When the game kicks off, the Bee is thrown into a random region and we all create our respective aether-whorls leading to regions of our choice. If you aren't lucky to find the Bee in the region you entered, you enter another region, but if you got out of the region and you found that someone else already got the Bee, you tackle."

"Not the tackle you are used to, though," Koko said.

"Yes," Uwa said. "Your aim while playing Alfe-Bee is to gain the highest point, so that you'll be awarded the sequined ankara wear." She looked at Bala and smiled. "And alot of Infocoins."

"That's if she'd even second the highest," Bala said.

"Infocoins," Maranna said. "Mamadiya never mentioned that to me."

"You'd learn of that a few days to the tournament," Uwa said, rolling her marker. "Tackling, here, means jumping into a particular region, from which you could emerge in front of your opponent having the Bee while he or she tries to reach the net." She allowed Maranna scribble a little. "Still on the tackling technique, each region you enter would determine the wing on the field you'd emerge to tackle your opponent; the east wing, west wing, north wing or south wing."

"And there are intermediate wings, too," Koko said.

Maranna kept scribbling.

"But, before going too deep in that, look here." She pointed at the board. "Here is a list of things to do in order to get to the considered regions."

Maranna peered at the board, but she couldn't understand what she saw on it.

Region of illusion-forms - the illusion fork.

Region of wish-forms - the floating castle.

Region of grotesque-forms - a goblin.

Region of ghost-forms - transparent ribbons.

She wrote them down anyways.

"To open up a portal to the region of illusion-forms, you see into Koko's thoughts and picture the illusion fork," Uwa said. "As you can see here." She circled the image of the illusion fork. "The fork appears to have three prongs, but when you get closer to the image, you won't be able to decide if it's three prongs or two."

Maranna stretched her neck to squint a few seconds. She saw three prongs at the tips, but going down, the prongs appeared to be two. The illusion buzzed her mind so well that she took her eyes off and shook her head.

They all laughed. Maranna also studied the other three regions and tried to master them.

"Alright, it's time for a little practice," Uwa said.

When they all came out of the shed, Bala ran into the house without saying a thing, but everything seemed to be in order.

"Koko here will spawn thoughts," Uwa said. "You see into the thoughts with your smoke glasses and you picture the illusion fork. Hope you've got the image in mind."

"And where are the glasses?" Maranna asked.

Bala came out of the house. "Here." He gave her the smoke glasses and stood aside.

Koko's ribbons began to flutter.

"You will be visiting the region of illusion-forms. So you need to picture the illusion fork," Uwa said.

"And, to get out of any region, think of ribbons. Just ribbons," Bala said.

"Okay," Maranna said.

She peered at Koko's ribbons and saw him plucking coconuts. She pictured the illusion fork, and the images dissolved into a fuzzy image of the fork. Then a spinning whorl of pink smoke appeared beside her.

"Woah," she said, looking at it.

"Go on, enter," Uwa said to her.

She looked at three of them, then she shut her eyes and entered the whorl.

She found herself in front of a rock along which she tried grazing her fingers, but all she touched was air. Then she realized the rock was far away from her, and she was actually standing on a large meadow. She gasped at the illusion and chuckled, but the echoes she got back sounded like chatters in a market place. She shuddered and quickly thought of ribbons, and she found herself back at Mamadiya's place.

"How was it over there?" Uwa said.

"It's really a world of illusion," Maranna said and giggled.

"In the region of illusion-forms, if you search for the Bee with your eyes you might get lost. You just have to swish your racket in the air until it picks up the Bee from wherever it is," Koko said.

"How possible is that?" Maranna asked.

"The Bee is magnetic," Uwa said. "It clings to the racket at any given chance."

"Rubber, magnetic?" Maranna said.

"Yes, and due to this clinging property, you swish the racket with all your strength to shoot the Bee into the net," Uwa said.

"Could imagine how that feels," Maranna said.

"From what you took down, you already know things to picture to get to the next three regions," Uwa said. "So, we'll just move to the next thing." She walked back to the shed, and Maranna joined her.

"Now, each of these four major regions listed here have specific wings on the pitch they could land you," Uwa said. "And the aether-whorls that lead to them have characteristic colors."

"Like the pink one I saw," Maranna said.

"Though, there's a sterile aether-whorl -- no color" Uwa said. "The one Mr. Karibi creates during the Alfe-Bee tournament."

Maranna laughed. "To leave us clueless."

Uwa began linking the regions to the respective wings and their colors. Maranna quickly took note.

Region of illusion-forms -- pink - north wing

Region of wish-forms -- grey - south wing

Region of grotesque-forms -- scarlet - east wing

Region of ghost-forms -- purple - west wing

"The aim of everyone playing Alfe-Bee is to score the highest point," Uwa said. "You could see someone with the Bee going towards the post at the north wing, but you are far from the person. All you need to do is picture the illusion fork in your mind, you enter the region of illusion-forms and emerge in front of the person, pulling out the Bee from the person's racket. Remember the Bee is magnetic."

"Noted," Maranna said.

"And to emerge in front of the person, you need to jump out of the region. Don't just walk out like you did here. It'll take you nowhere. You need to jump out to change bearing," Bala said from outside.

"Sweet," Maranna said.

"Not sweet yet," Bala said. "If you succeed in taking the Bee off your opponents racket, you need to score somewhere else."

"That's one good chip for you," Koko said.

After all was said, Koko went into the house and came out with three rackets, one of them having the Bee. He handed the rackets to each of them, and they went to the field.

During the training, Uwa wasn't as gentle as she seemed. She taught like an army commander.

"Hey, not like that, don't you have bones?" She shook Maranna's arm vigorously. "Swish that racket like you are alive, come on!"

At the end of the day, after sessions of exhausting, vigorous trainings, Maranna mastered the game to an extent. But it didn't end after that day. She kept visiting the field daily, except on Sundays. She participated in the trainings until she fell in love with the game. Two days to the main tournament, which would unlock the Infonix Portal, she was given her own ankara wears and a racket, and after that, she was told of the Infocoins. They were coins given to the players on scoring points. A point was worth ten Infocoins, so Maranna needed to score as many points as possible.

A day before the tournament, Maranna deliberately had a fight with Helen, and the next day, she told Helen she would be staying away from her for two months, which Helen agreed to.

The day of the tournament finally came. They were outdoors doing some exercises at the field while waiting for Mamadiya and Karibi, the referee, to arrive.

Mamadiya came out an hour later, accompanied by a whistling from Karibi, who wore the smoke glasses. He hastily walked before Mamadiya, towards the middle of the court. Mamadiya sat at the stand to watch.

Maranna sniggered when she saw Karibi. He was a middle-aged man who seemed to love dressing in a mix of disagreeing colors. He wore a yellow T-shirt, a green face cap, and a pair of red shorts.

"Alright, alright." He jammed his hands in the air.

The players, equipped with their smoke glasses and rackets, stood at designated points, away from the center, while Koko walked to the center and stood before a platform. His ribbons began to flutter. Karibi took the Bee from the platform and looked into Koko's ribbons, creating the sterile aether-whorl, then he threw the ball in there and stepped back.

The surrounding players all created their aether-whorls, waiting for the whistle to sound. Maranna held her racket with both hands and looked at Uwa, who gave her a nod. The whistle sounded a second later and they all jumped into their respective aether-whorls. In a split second, they jumped out, and it was Bala who had the Bee, racing towards the west wing. Uwa stayed still while Maranna entered the region of ghost-forms and emerged in front of Bala, pulling the Bee off his racket. She headed for the east, but Uwa refused to tackle her. It was Bala who did. He took the Bee from Maranna and went for the west. Uwa emerged in front of him, pulled the bee off his racket, and shot it into the post at the north. Bala gnarred and angrily swished his racket.

The game continued. Seven minutes later, Uwa scored another goal, from Bala's racket once again. It made Bala grow furious. He began playing roughly, shoving off anyone who emerged in front of him. He approached the goal net at the east, which led to the region of grotesque-forms that Uwa hated. Uwa stood still and allowed Maranna to tackle him, but he shoved her off and she fell to the ground with a yelp. The whistle sounded immediately and Bala was given a yellow card.

The first half ended twenty five minutes later, after Uwa had scored two more and Bala had scored twice. They all went to take a rest at the stand, including Koko. They looked at the board where Mamadiya recorded the scores, and it appeared as follows:

Uwa - 4

Bala - 2

Maranna - 0

Bala snorted. "Looks like someone would sit broke in the institute."

"Maranna, what went wrong?" Mamadiya asked.

"I'm surprised, as well. She beat me during the training last week," Uwa said.

Maranna shook her head, looking down at her shoes. "I guess the scoring would come in the second half."

"Maranna scored nothing because Bala went rough with her," Koko, who sat behind, said.

Bala turned to him. "That's what she gets when Uwa wouldn't stop giving her a hand."

"I watched you, Bala, you were being unnecessarily rough and bitter. I wish you were given a red card," Uwa said.

"That's not possible." He laughed. "You know."

"I saw the whole thing, Bala," Mamadiya said. "They aren't wrong. Please take it easy on her in the second half. This isn't a win or die game."

Mamadiya's interference made him accept he really went rough on Maranna. He sighed and focused on the court.

Mamadiya turned to Maranna. "You need to score a point, at least, so you'd gain some Infocoins and get yourself good stuffs in the institute, okay?"

"Okay." Maranna nodded.

The second half started ten minutes later. They all assembled at the court and, after the whistle was blown, the game began. Maranna hoped to score this time.

Maranna and Uwa coincidentally entered a forest in the region of illusion-forms. They smiled at each other and began looking for the Bee together. They couldn't find it and they got out of the region. No one had the Bee yet. Maranna and Uwa created grey and purple aether-whorls respectively and jumped in. Uwa got out of the region with the Bee, running towards the net, but Bala emerged in front of her and took the Bee from her, striking it into the net at the east. Maranna still had no score.

When it approached the end of the match, everyone got paresthetic. Uwa wanted Maranna to score a point, at least. She waited for Bala to get hold of the Bee. When he got it, she closely watched him run towards the east. He was certain that she wouldn't tackle him, because it was the wing of the grotesque-form region, but Uwa took the risk. He was taken by surprise when Uwa blocked him and pulled the Bee away from him, running to Maranna and setting her racket before her so she could pull it out. Maranna did as expected and rammed the ball into the south, scoring a point.

In two minutes, the whistle that marked the end of the game sounded. Bala swished his racket furiously as they retired to the stand. After an hour's rest at the stand, they all assembled in front of Mamadiya's house.

Uwa, who had the highest number of points, was given the sequined ankara wear. It was beautiful, having designs of colorful stars and ribbons on it. She happily showed gratitude before everyone. She said it was her first time scoring the highest number of points. Moshood used to be the highest.

At the end of the day, they were told they would be passing the night in the Infonix Room with their ankara wears on. The portal would open before them at 10:00 pm. It sounded frightening to Maranna, but she prepared her mind for it.

They slept on mattresses laid out for them in the room, and Maranna dreamt of a floating whistle that looked like that of Karibi's. It began to spin with a high speed, creating a vicious whorl that violently tugged her clothes until she woke up, gasping. She looked to her sides and saw Uwa and Bala gasping, too. It seemed they had a similar dream. They got up from bed and saw a large, silvery portal before them. Uwa, who had the sequinned ankara wear, went before them.