Humans Are Encountered

Eating

"This is goooood." Zork'ak could see all of the food in Steve's mouth. The humans had learned to grow a form of meal that was enjoyed on Earth. "I can't believe Kai figured this out."

"Apparently she had really been craving chocolate." Wren was more civilized in her eating patterns.

"She wasn't the only one!"

"I'm so full." They were all consuming a dark colored spongy material, weird noises exchanged as they ingested the substance. Zork'ak watched as Wren, who had claimed to no longer need to eat, took another bite.

"You better take advantage of it," Carrie said, stuffing hers into her mouth.

"I am going to have a stomach ache later." Wren took another bite. Zork'ak was not sure why she continued to ingest a substance that would cause pain to her digestive organ. She took another bite, starting to look uncomfortable.

"Why do you continue to eat this substance if you are no longer hungry?" Xe asked, watching her.

She looked up. "Because it tastes good."

"But it will cause pain to your body?"

"I mean," she looked down at the substance.' "Not for long. I just have a little too much in my stomach right now."

"Why is it that you continue to eat if your body has its nutrients?"

Adam looked over. "Do you not have food you like Zor? Something you eat even if you're not hungry?"

"Klyls have substances to nourish our bodies. We do not taste, as you say."

"You don't taste?" Steve looked appalled, leaning over the table.

"I do not quite grasp this concept." Zork'ak was unsure what taste was.

"It's like when you eat the food it's like sweet or spicy or something like that."

Adam cut his eyes at Steve. "You are not allowed to give explanations. It is a flavor that our body perceives. Do you have flavors?"

Zork'ak was trying to find something comparative. "Do our meals have flavor?"

"No, not really. They all taste the same."

"Why don't you try it?" Wren handed Zork'ak her substance, and xe took a small bite, surprised the spongy material. It was odd, this sensation in xer mouth.

Adam laughed. "That is taste."

"No, Klyls have not experienced this."

"It's good, though, right?" Steve was talking with the substance in his mouth again, even though Adam had said that humans were capable of swallowing food before speaking.

"It is a sensation I would repeat, yes." Zork'ak took another bite.

"You just got to be careful," Jessica said on the other side of Carrie. "Too much makes us fat."

Zork'ak stopped chewing. "This substance harms you? What is fat?"

"No, the cupcake won't harm you." Xe resumed xer chewing. "But eating too much sugar and chocolate, which is what makes it taste like that, can make people gain weight. Some people get so fat, it's called obesity, that it starts to actually cause problems."

"So this cupcake," Adam nodded at Zork'ak's uncertainty, "in large quantities causes a problem for your species?"

"Um, well, yeah."

"What kind of sickness is this? We need to research it to ensure it is not deadly to us."

"Sickness?" Adam tilted his head.

"You said it will hurt people's bodies with too much ingestion."

"Oh, no. It's not a sickness. It just means there is too much fat and not enough muscle."

"Yes, fat. What is this sickness?"

Jessica and Carrie started laughing. Zork'ak did not see what was not serious about deadly illnesses. "No. Fat is technically this molecule that is stored in some of our tissue to help keep us warm and protect our organs. It is good to have the right amount of layer, but too much gives people big bellies," he gestured to a quite round midsection, "and they weigh a lot."

"The Klyls do not have this."

"Well, you seem to have designated meals and sizes so I would imagine not."

"Yes, your species seems to have unregulated availability of resources. We find that it causes an imbalance and a state of anarchy that threatens the discipline that each Klyl is expected to possess."

"It definitely can cause problems," Carrie said quietly.

Xe took another bite of the cupcake. "Are there more foods that taste like this?"

"Sweet? Yes. But there are other flavors, too."

Zork'ak looked at the food in xer talons. "Do you possess examples?"

Adam smiled but looked towards the other humans "Would you like to try it?"

"I have already reached the correct nutritious level. I am no longer hungry nor does my body require more substance. This is third meal. We are not to eat more."

"But you are eating that cupcake."

"That is correct. Is this why Wren has the pain in her abdomen?"

"Well, she ate a bit too much. But it doesn't hurt to eat a little more, even if you are not hungry."

"You eat substances when your body does not need it?"

"Yeah, we eat food for taste. I told you that. That's how people get fat."

"You stated that these people reached a sick state through extreme ingestion."

Adam touched his chin. "That's because they kept eating even when they weren't hungry and passed their nutritious level. It's okay to do it sometimes, but some people do it too often and make too much of that compound Jess was telling you about."

"So this will not cause me to be fat? Or any of you?"

He shook his head. "One cupcake is okay. Even if you are not hungry."

"Klyls have not done this. This eating past fullness for this taste."

"That's because you've never tasted real flavors. Come on," Adam stood up from the table, motioning for the others to join him. "We can show you different kinds in Carrie's room."