there was something appealing about not entirely understanding the prophecy. That appealing thing was hope, of course, but feelings were to Damien as object permanence was to an infant—confusing, slightly frightening, and likely to inspire tantrums. But Amma wanted him to understand the prophecy, and Damien wanted to give her exactly what she wanted—a desire that had long surpassed dangerous and toppled right over into completely reckless.
