  Here we consider a scenario in which dark energy is associated with the
apparent area of a surface in the early universe. In order to resemble the
cosmological constant at late times, this hypothetical reference scale should
maintain an approximately constant physical size during an asymptotically
de-Sitter expansion. This is found to arise when the particle horizon -
anticipated to be significantly greater than the Hubble length - is approaching
the antipode of a closed universe. Depending on the constant of
proportionality, either the ensuing inflationary period prevents the particle
horizon from vanishing, or it may lead to a sequence of "Big Rips".
