text: It had spent a lot of time in this universe. *Tick... Tick... Tick...* It is not like a watch was needed, but somehow It *liked* this universe and a constant reminder on its heartbeats on the way to entropy seemed somehow fitting. It had created universes before, but those it had to *refuel.* This one would *never* be refueled, it had *vowed.* A process of *unstoppable decay.* It viewed it as a meditation. *Tick... Tick... Tick...* It felt a bit alone. Sometimes, it pondered, *maybe* it hadn't been the best decision to say "I am", *casting* itself into an existence of *watching* and *creating.* So, a meditation on *loneliness* and *decay.* Not that it would *decay* anytime soon. *Tick....* Did it just seem like that to it, or was the clock going *slower?* "Hello? God? Are you there?", a voice said. Startled, the God searched around the universe. What was that? "My mother is sick, God. Please heal her.", the voice said again. Galaxies blurred into stars. It had found the source. Small water planet. It went in closer. *Most curious!* A small, ape-like creature, sitting next to the sleeping site of a *more* ape-like creature. Both still had some fur on them, and the small one wore some sort of leather around its loins. The god was *intrigued.* In all the universes before, none of the life it had created had been capable of ... *communicating* in this way. It turned the wheels of creation. The mother healed. The little one became a shaman. Shamans turned into priests, priests turned into warmongers, warmongers turned into mass murderers. But there was good too. Love, compassion, Sharing. That was the stuff that it liked most. The prayers kept floating up to it. Some attributed an idea to it, some called it a he, a she, an adversary, some were bitter, and some were sweet. Company, at last. And God smiled. Even though it would end someday. *Tick.... Tick.... Tick....* It valued every second of it.