Four children appear, as if from nowhere.
"Surprise!"
I look more closely. I turn to Christina and smile with delight.
We stand on a knoll by the sea, in wind-swept grass, under a clear indigo sky. Our children, wearing elaborate costumes, wave at us vigorously.
Their constant companions suddenly appear beside them.
A she-wolf, sporting an idiotic grin, puts her arm around my youngest son; a fairy-tale princess, standing on the shoulder of my only daughter, throws sparkles to the wind; a friendly ogre, looming large behind my eldest son, spreads his arms wide as a greeting; and a strange little creature, the size of a small child and having no recognizable features, dances gracefully in front of my artistically inclined son.
"Time for some fun, Daddy!," my daughter shrieks. The fairy-tale princess runs circles around her head.
"Yes, father, it's time for a game called Omega Surprise," says the strange little creature, mimicking the voice of my son.
Omega Surprise.
I draw Christina close and pinch her playfully. She knows of my eschatological interests, and I am pleased.
This is her doing.
In private, she relays to me the rules of the game.
And then, my daughter, raising her hands palms up, produces a sphere.
