A desperate transgression: charred fish and tubers stolen from an unattended fire. Common enough. Surprise when the expected violent outcome did not materialize. Instead, a bowed head, and a leaking ocular duct signaling earnest remorse. Elsewhen, a conglomeration of dark matter and indifference cocked a proverbial head to the side. Inquisitive, as five digits offered forgiveness, and five more, spare nutriment. At some point a bone broke. Common enough. Expected outcome of abandonment, isolation, fear, death. But surprise, again. The apes gathered the infirm, tending to them enough for osteoblasts to execute their programming. Calcification, returned strength. Two legs ran with twenty more. Something had changed. Elsewhen, dark matter and curiosity leaned in to observe. One summer, the apes theorized that teosinte could be more bountiful and nutritious if they sowed seeds from a past crop that yielded a particularly desirable result. Unexpected ingenuity. Everything they touched they sought to optimize. Elsewhen, dark matter and pride did smile. Eyes looked at the flocculent quadruped and saw friendship instead of obedience. The first time a hand reached out to rub fingers over soft, floppy ears, the dark matter felt an unfathomable tenderness. They made noises with their mouths simply because the sounds made others laugh. They held one another to process emotions their small, frail bodies could not bear to feel alone. They celebrated each time one of their own lived to see another orbit. They, the children of Earth. They, the children of my Earth. Created and pondered and explored and played just because they could. And I, the dark matter, watched them in wonder.