The Journal: The First Edition

Chapter 3

"I actually have a question," I had to ask, before the thought drifted away from me. "These desserts that you were speaking of... You said that they are only meant to be good tasting food."

"Indeed," Johnathon said with a hum, bringing me around a corner to continue following Dexter down the street.

"Doesn't that mean they aren't healthy?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Yeah, they aren't," Johnathon hummed, shrugging his shoulders. "It doesn't stop people from eating them though."

"But they lack nutritional value..." I mumble, tapping my chin with a claw. "Why would anyone eat them then?"

"Because they taste good, we've already said that," The black cat snickered. "Not everything has to be nutritional or healthy for you to enjoy it. I mean, if they were really that bad then nobody would even be making them. The concept of dessert wouldn't even exist."

"Hm," I hummed, pondering the thought.

I supposed I couldn't question it too harshly. I could only imagine that some of the foods I was eating weren't the most healthy either. I'd read about it before, that fruits are meant to be good for you, but they also are quite... sweet, like the desserts. Not as much so, but they have a similar flavour. I supposed that eating too many of them would also cause problems.

"I see," I said finally. When I returned to reality, that is.

Eating was a complicated thing. I couldn't remember what it must've been like wherever I came from. Maybe I ate just like the people here and I would need to do it every day to live. Maybe I was like the plants on this planet and I didn't need to eat, only sit out in the sun for energy. Or, maybe I didn't need any form of energy at all, and I could live infinitely. I supposed I would never know if I wasn't on my home planet, or even if I was the last one of my species left.

I didn't like the thought, and I was sure it showed on my face. I could feel my lips purse together and a furry paw rested upon my shoulder. My attention locked onto it before I looked up at the paw's owner with a more neutral expression.

"You look like you've got something on your mind," Johnathon said in a gentler tone than I was used to hearing from him.

"Ah- it's nothing," I said with a smile, waving a hand in an effort to fade out the topic. "I'm still a little... confused, but I'm working things out."

I wish that alone was what I was thinking at that moment. It didn't really fit the bill, but Johnathon didn't seem eager to press me any further. He only offered me a silent nod, and let his arm hang limply at his side again, occasionally swaying as we focused on our walk again. I envied him at that time, how he didn't like to push people to speak their minds. I often hoped that I could be the same way, and be able to think like him without trying to copy him.

I was broken out of my thoughts as we turned into a street corner, although the buildings littered around the area with no obvious walkways didn't make that very clear. As we walked around the smaller buildings, I gazed up at the watchtower pushed toward the center of the street. Just looking at the top made me feel sick to my stomach, and I had to force myself to look away, lest I get sick.

We walked past a tiny watchtower on our way to the shop that was our destination. I couldn't help but wonder what purpose such a small building would serve, but it wasn't a question that was at the front of my mind at the time. I let my thoughts race in the silence that consumed the rest of our walk, until Dexter paused before one of the shop buildings and turned to us with a smile.

"This should be the shop," he said, gazing up at the dessert sign on the arched doorway.

"Finally," Johnathon said as he stepped up to the door. "I'll try to be quick, and you two better talk while I'm gone."