Infinity Papers

Prologue:

or, the story so far...

Ever since she could remember, Marina had a dream that would haunt her time and time again. It was a dream of an island, shining in the sea, beautiful, mysterious and crystalline, but it bore no resemblance to any place she could think of. It was strange and fascinating at the same time. As Marina grew up, the dream became more persistent, but every time she tried sharing it with her brother Gautam, he said she was nuts!

Gautam and Marina spent their summer holidays in the hill station of Kodaikanal with their grandfather, Dr. Narayan, and Spark, their talkative pet parrot. Dr. Narayan had been a famous geologist once. His personal rock collection contained a very unusual crystal with intriguing properties, and Grandfather now spent his days studying this crystal with his Italian friend and colleague, Dr. Scarlatti.

Gautam and Marina’s best friend, Tenzin, also lived in Kodaikanal, he was a Tibetan refugee and the grandson of the famous monk, Norbu Rinponche. Tenzin’s father had been captured as the family attempted to flee Tibet from the Chinese occupation when he was three years old. Tenzin now lived in Kodai with his mother, but he longed to return to Tibet to find his father who was still reported to be missing. Would he ever manage? When would Tibet be free? Tenzin studied at a local school in Kodai. He learned about Tibet from his guardian, a warm-hearted monk called Karoo-la, But more on Karoo-la later...

The summer before, Tenzin had told his friends about a strange legacy that he had received from Tibet, a rock crystal and a map that had once belonged to his grandfather, Norbu Rinpoche. As Tenzin described the crystal to them, Gautam and Marina realized how similar it was to the one their grandfather possesed. Both disappeared when held under sunlight! Where did those rocks come from?

Meanwhile, Grandfather Narayan’s article about the rock crystal was published in a science journal. Soon, Grandfather began receiving calls from the Dargate, an international arms organisation, asking to buy the rock at any cost. However, the Dargate weren’t the only ones interested in the rock...

Grandfather’s friend, Madam Michiko, a travelling storyteller from Japan, recounted the fascinating legend of the lost Island of Infinity from where a powerful giant crystal had once been stolen, and as a consequence, the island had vanished from history. Years later, a coded message was found on the back of a sea turtle that washed up on the shores of Japan. The markings on the turtle shell, when uncoded, spoke of Infinity and how the lost island could be found again.

Madam Michiko’s story set Marina’s mind on fire. The island Madam Michiko described sounded exactly like the island in her dreams! If only she could go there. Madam Michiko had a surprise in store for Tenzin too. She had met his grandfather, Norbu Rinponche, during his travels in Japan, when he deciphered the code found on the back of the sea turtle! Tenzin was stunned. Did his rock and map have anything to do with Infinity? And did that mysterious island have anything to do with Tibet? Why had his grandfather sent him those two things when he died, and why was Karoo-la so interested in them?

Karoo-la was Tenzin’s guardian, a Tibetan monk who had escaped to India with a few precious manuscripts when the great Samye monastery was attacked. Now he had a secret library with many treasured scrolls, maps and artefacts. Seeking answers, the three children and Spark went to meet him. Karoo-la confirmed that Infinity had not only existed, but pulled out ample records from his library to prove it! To Gautam’s great horror, Karoo-la did not laugh at Marina’s recurring dream at all, but listened to every detail carefully and even encouraged her to pay attention to them.

Karoo-la showed them records of people from India and Tibet who had gone to Infinity a long time ago, and of people who were still looking for it. He warned the three friends to be careful, though. Some people seemed to be after Tenzin’s map at any cost, for it gave important indications as to where the lost island could be found.

While the children spoke with Karoo-la, Spark kept an eye on things. The little parrot’s wacky investigative flair paid off as he spotted a man lurking outside Karoo-la’s house, and sent him packing in terrific style.

Things took a dramatic turn when Grandfather received a theatening call after he refused to sell his rock to the Dargate. He decided to remove the rock from Kodai at once and take it for safekeeping to Bangalore. As he was going to be away for a while, Grandfather arranged for Marina and Gautam to join the school summer camp in the Andamans, much to their delight. Spark was in seventh heaven for he was going too, but Tenzin got left behind.

Gautam and Marina missed the school boat to the Andamans, and were put on the next cargo ship called The Emerald Voyager. Captain Ali, the ship’s captain, became an instant friend, so did the quiet-eyed Ekas, one of the crew. But there was a snag. They had to share their cabin with the impossible Lady Rukmini, with too many double chins, until Spark gave her a formidable ticking off and their ordeal ended. Spark, euphoric with victory, grew careless, and began showing off. He said too much about crystals and Infinity on the ship’s deck. A newly-hired sailor listened, ransacked their cabin, and stole the map when Marina and Gautam were out. The salior tried to jump ship, but was caught only to reveal that he was working for the Dargate.

The Emerald Voyager ran into a monster storm en route to the Andamans, driving them completely off course. They drifted for nearly two days till they reached a private island, owned by a scientific research project called 87 East. Captain Ali had his doubts about all this, but insisted that his passengers be allowed to disembark while the ship was repaired. The people on the project remained hostile, except for the beautiful director, a Brazilian lady by the name of Dr. Ria Pereira, but no one was allowed near the main premises. What was the big secret? Shipwrecked on the strange island and cut off from the world, even Lady Rukmini grew more human as the days passed, but Marina and Gautam wished they had Tenzin with them. Finally, with a bit of help from Ekas, they managed to call him.

Alone in Kodai, Tenzin heard about the monster-storm and prayed non-stop for his friends lost at sea. If only he could be with them! News that they were safe brought great relief to everyone. It was then that Madam Michiko convinced Grandfather Narayan to let Tenzin go to the Andamans to join Gautam and Marina once The Emerald Voyager returned to port. Thus, Tenzin flew off to the Andamans to wait for his friends, but many unexpected things came his way. Tenzin met an old messenger sea-turtle, learnt more about his grandfather, while an encounter with the Dargate sent him into hiding.

Back on the island, Spark explored the place on his own, having befriended an owl who showed him some strange things. Spark alerted Marina and Gautam. The Dargate were everywhere! In fact, they were running the entire operation. Did Dr. Ria know? Why were hundreds of sea turtles being killed? Spark led the children to a prisoner he had discovered, Dr. Ranthambore, who gave them some key answers as they set him free.

Dr. Ranthambore revealed that a few other messenger turtles had been discovered on that island. The Dargate had kidnapped him to help them decipher the code, but Ranthambore refused when he realised that the Dargate wanted to destroy Infinity with the knowledge gained, and he was quickly imprisoned. Dr. Ranthambore shared one piece of crucial information with Marina and Gautam: the lost crystal of Infinity was on that island! Once found, it would lead the way back to Infinity. Danger was all around, he warned, but Infinity had a secret that the Dargate would never know: only children with a dream could find it again for the world.

Marina and Gautam followed Spark to an underground cave, to discover the magnificent giant crystal of Infinity, called Rishi, that had been lost to the world for centuries.

Meanwhile, Tenzin was having adventures of his own. A small crystal disc that he found in an abandoned catamaran on the beach, launched him into an unexpected journey. The disc was an unexpected boon, full of magic. He learnt to receive messages from Infinity, he learnt to ask it clear questions, and finally, it helped him connect with his lost friends. As soon as the crystal was found, the three friends planned their escape together. Tenzin followed a magic path with the help of the disc, even as Gautam and Marina managed to get the crystal out on the sea where Ekas was waiting.

On board Rishi, the giant crystal, now afloat on the sea, they waited till Tenzin arrived on his flying surfboard, just in time. As Marina navigated the raft over the dangerous waters, with the Dargate hot in pursuit, they finally realized that Ekas was actually from Infinity. The place was real! They crossed the shimmering barrier of light, thrilled to find behind it the island that Marina had dreamed of ever since she was a child.

The lost crystal, Rishi, returned, the island was once again alive. They made friends in Infinity, and Spark showed off shamelessly. Tenzin met a man called Pema, who said he knew his father well, and for the first time Marina and Gautam saw their friend in tears. So, was their work over? On the contrary, Rishi assured them, their work had just begun and much more had to happen before Infinity and its message of Oneness became a natural part of the world.

So, read on...

1

Marina looked out of the library window. It was a zing of a day, as Spark would say, the last day of school! Marina stuffed the book she had reserved for the holidays into her bag. Arrgh, it was fat. She looked up at the clock. Two o’clock! She had to run, zipzapzop, else she would miss the bus. Gautam must have reached home already and she still had to pack, because at six that evening, they were to catch the overnight bus to Kodai. Marina sped out of the library and down the steps, racing past the main hall, past the schoolyard, out towards the main gate where the big yellow school bus was honking impatiently. She could see Nina, her best friend, perched on a window seat and yelling out for her to hurry up. The holidays had definitely begun. Little did she know the kind of excitement that was in store.

For the first time, her parents had agreed to let her travel to Kodai on her own. Well, not technically, because her brother Gautam would be by her side. Marina was almost thirteen and her brother, Gautam, a cool fourteen-and-a-half. Grandfather would pick them up from the Kodai bus stand tomorrow morning. Marina could barely contain her excitement as she ran past the school gate. She was dying to see Spark again, her smart, crazy and super-cool pet parrot that lived under the care of her grandfather. Too good ya! And her friend, Tenzin, would be there too.

Last summer, along with Tenzin, Gautam and Spark, she had stepped into an extraordinary world, a parallel dimension. It seemed so long ago now, but what an adventure it had been. Even Nina found it hard to believe her story. And then there was Vishu, who was positively hostile in her disbelief. Still, it was an adventure that none of them would ever forget. Madam Michiko’s story had made Grandfather’s rock and Tenzin’s mystery map come alive, setting them off on a thrilling voyage to the lost island of Infinity.

Marina climbed into the school bus and headed for the seat that Nina had saved for her at the back.

‘Oi Marina,’ Vishu sniggered from the third row, ‘Going to heaven again? What was the place? Infinity Plaza? Ha-ha, what a joke! Don’t forget to bring back a golden halo.’

‘I won’t,’ Marina squeezed into the back seat. ‘How big should it be?’

Vishu scowled, making a great show of popping a toffee into her mouth and sucking fiercely. ‘You made up all that Infinity rubbish, that’s what. Just looking for attention, that’s what my uncle said.’

‘Which uncle?’ Marina asked innocently.

Nina began to giggle. It set off a chain reaction in the bus. Vishu could conjure uncles out of thin air. Rich uncle, foreign uncle, cricket uncle, fashion uncle, movie uncle, MTV...

‘None of your business.’ Vishu tossed her head.

‘None of his either,’ said Marina. ‘And stop chucking your toffee wrappers out of the window.’

‘How dare you!’

‘Well, how dare you, Vishu? The road is not your dustbin.’

‘Oh my! Look who’s giving me lectures.’ Vishu sneered.

Marina shrugged. ‘You’re lucky Gautam didn’t see you do that.’

‘As if!’ Vishu unrolled another toffee, popped it in her mouth and flung the wrapper out of the window. ‘Who is Gautam anyway?’

‘He’s Marina’s brother, idiot.’ Nina called from the back. ‘If he saw you doing that he’d throw you in the dustbin! Might be a good idea.’

‘How dare you!’ Vishu bristled. ‘I’m not afraid of any Mister Gautam.’

How dare you? Marina began to grin.

‘You don’t have a mad aunt by any chance, Vishu? Someone called Lady Rukmini, who says how dare you just the way you do. She was with us on the boat, last year, and she knows all about Infinity.’

‘Never heard of her,’ Vishu’s nose quivered with disdain. ‘Anyway, my uncle said that Infinity is not a place for children.’

‘Well, he’s dead wrong,’ Marina said flatly. ‘And we’re not exactly little children anymore.’

‘My uncle is never wrong! You’re just a liar!’ Vishu howled in rage.

‘Oi, give us a break, Vishali Thargen,’ Nina said firmly, and that was that.

Marina slipped her hand inside her pocket and touched the smooth, round disc that she always kept with her. That was no lie. But Vishu could not understand, nor could Nina. Not yet, at least. Marina looked out of the window as the school bus turned into Elliot’s Beach Road and trundled along the coast. Far away, across the waters, lay the same blue horizon that, a year ago, had carried them to Infinity through a deadly storm. Somewhere beyond the horizon lay that fabulous but forgotten place, which now belonged to the world. But it was still veiled, an island still forgotten, it was an unbelievable mystery. So much more had to be done before it could become real for people, as Rishi had said. For people like Vishu as well.

And for that: The proof that was lost must be found.

That was the last message on her disc.

Marina ran her thumb over it again. The disc had been a parting gift from Infinity. Back then, there had been no time for explanations, but Tenzin, who had earlier chanced upon a similar disc, had shown her how to use it. They had received a few cryptic messages so far, some signs, but they were all so difficult to understand. Both she and Gautam were still trying to get used to their discs.

Nina nudged her arm. ‘Still dreaming of Infinity? Think you’ll really go there again?’

Marina shrugged. ‘Who knows? But I’d love to. You’re going to your grandmother’s place, aren’t you, Nina?’

‘Yes, I’m going to her place this year, in Dharamsala.’

‘In Dharamsala? But that’s...’

‘I know, you told me about Tenzin. Does he go to school there?’

‘No, he’s in school in Kodai. But he may go there next year if he gets admission.’

‘Good, then I’ll introduce him to my friends, Kalsang and Dawa, who also go to school there. They are my grandma’s neigbours, and they’re great fun.’

‘Cool. I must tell Tenzin!’ Marina got up as the bus turned into her lane. ‘Okay bye, Nina, see you after the holidays.’

‘Wait, Marina. Can I borrow your comics? I still have three days before I leave.’

‘Sure. Want to get down at my stop? I’ll give them to you just now. Your house is only two minutes away, you can walk back.’

‘Sure I can! Do you think I can borrow some from Gautam too.’

‘Try your luck!’ Marina laughed, as the bus slowed to a stop before her house.

‘Bye everyone!’ Marina and Nina waved out. ‘See you in six weeks!’

‘Bye guys!’ Sonali stuck her head out and waved. ‘Have fun in Infinity!’

‘Thank you! Bye Vishu. Tell your uncle he can’t wish away Infinity.’

‘LIAR!’ Vishu glared back, and out of sheer spite, flung a banana skin out of her window as the bus pulled away.

‘Hey! What’s wrong with that girl?’

Gautam was waiting for his sister at the gate.

‘Oh, that’s Vishu. She just hates Infinity. She thinks I made it up.’

‘If she hates something as brilliant as Infinity, what kind of things does she like?’ Gautam asked.

‘Ghosts and vampires, big hulks and torturers.’ Nina giggled.

Gautam rolled his eyes. Girls! He hated Marina’s giggling, screaming, school friends, and now this banana peel thrower. They unnerved him.

‘She’s our Miss-Dark-Ages, Gautam,’ Marina consoled. ‘She’d love the Dargate, if she knew about them, she’d have found a Dargate uncle by now!

‘Well, she’s one garbage dump!’ Gautam shook his head in disgust. ‘What a school!’

‘And what about your school?’ Nina shot back. ‘What about the rubbish heap next to the gate that all your dear friends make? What have you done about that?’

Gautam went red. ‘If you’re here to borrow my comics, you aren’t getting them.’

‘I didn’t ask, did I?’

‘Oh all right, Nina, but bring them back, okay?’

Marina ran inside to get the comics before Gautam changed his mind.

‘Thanks.’ Nina smiled. ‘Finished packing?’

‘No,’ said Gautam, as Marina came running back. ‘Mom’s waiting. She came back from the hospital just for us.’

‘I’ll be off then. Bye Gautam! Bye Marina, thanks a lot! Something tells me I’ll see you all soon.’

‘I hope not!’ Gautam made a face as Nina walked away.

Marina rapped her brother’s arm. ‘Don’t be silly, Nina is the only one in my class who understands Infinity a little. There’s no one in your class that even cares. And Nina’s going to Dharamsala. I hope we go there with Tenzin one day. Okay, let’s hurry now, Mom’s calling!’

Gautam and Marina raced back indoors.

Both their parents were well-known doctors in Chennai who had incredibly full hospital, teaching and travel schedules. That is why summer holidays were always spent