Brief introduction
This story is a symbolic and fictional that delves into the untamed desires and relentless pursuits that define human nature. It highlights how obsession over a singular want can consume an individual, making them lose sight of the more meaningful aspects of life—relationships, experiences, and the simple joys that exist beyond a single craving. Through Johnny's journey, the story serves as a reflection on the consequences of unchecked desires and the realization that fulfillment is often found in balance rather than obsession.
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| Image designed in Canva |
Chocolate was one thing Johnny had always loved. Chocolate's rich, velvety texture and ideal balance of sweetness and bitterness captivated him. His love for it was so intense that it took over his senses as soon as he tasted it for the first time. For Johnny, the experience was more than just a treat. He ate every cake truffle chocolate bar and drop of cocoa-infused joy he could lay his hands on. Then, the unimaginable occurred.
One day, as usual, he went to his favorite store. He was shocked when he discovered that all the chocolate shelves were empty. He panicked and ran to the nearest store. The same was the case here. Then, he inquired about chocolate from the shopkeeper.
‘’Uhmmm…. Excuse me. Can you tell me when the next supply of chocolate will come? As I realize that all chocolate shelves are empty
The shopkeeper taunts Johnny, “Young generation, they don’t know what’s happening in the world.”
Then he replied angrily, “The news said that chocolate is extinct from planet Earth”.
Johnny’s heart stopped.
In the hopes that it was all a bad joke, he hurried home and looked up information online. However, the same heartbreaking reality was verified by media: the last cocoa trees had died. Disease, deforestation, and climate change have wiped them out entirely. The world was devoid of chocolate. At any time.
A cold emptiness settled in Johnny’s chest. He tried eating other sweets—caramel, gummies, hard candies—but nothing satisfied him. He dreamed of chocolate, obsessed with it, and mourned it like a lost love. His life felt meaningless without it.
Then, one night, while fantasizing, an idea sparked in his mind.
Mars.
“Yes,” He shouted excitedly. I can go to Mars.
He read a few reports of scientists who claimed that some scientists had experimented with growing cocoa trees in Mars's controlled environments. If chocolate still existed anywhere in the universe, it had to be there.
Johnny made his decision.
If chocolate was on Mars, he was going to Mars.
He abandoned everything—his school, friends, even his health—and poured every ounce of energy into building a spaceship. He knew deep down that this was not his cup of tea, but the obsession he had made him do everything he could think of. So, He studied aerodynamics, engineering, and physics. He worked tirelessly, often forgetting to eat or sleep, his mind consumed by one thought: reaching Mars to taste chocolate again.
Many years passed. People called him insane. He became a ghost. But Johnny didn’t care. He scavenged for materials, built prototypes, failed, rebuilt, failed again. Decades of work, sweat, and sheer determination finally led to the moment he had waited for: a fully functional shuttle. Johnny was now 40 years of age. 20 years had passed over chasing the obsession.
With trembling hands, he climbed inside and pressed the ignition.
The shuttle didn’t move.
A scream of frustration escaped his lips. Had he wasted his life for nothing?
He refused to accept failure. He spent more years reworking his shuttle, refining every wire, every bolt, every inch of the machine. His hair turned gray, his body weakened, but his will remained unbroken. Then, on one fateful day, the engines roared to life.
Johnny took off for the air. He survived for months on tasteless nutrient packs while floating through space by himself in the emptiness. His heart throbbed with hope despite the pain in his body. Then, through the dense red fog, he caught sight of it: Mars. The landing was difficult. He didn't care that the shuttle was barely holding together. Weak from the journey, he staggered onto the rust-colored soil. Then he noticed it. In the background is a glass dome. He fled. Green plants grew in the dome. And cocoa trees with their pods full of promise were tucked away among them. His hands trembled as he picked up a pod, cracked it open, and tasted the bitter beans. After processing them using the instruments the scientists had left behind, he created a rudimentary chocolate paste and at last tasted chocolate once more.
Tears streamed down his face. He had done it. He had defeated the impossible.
But as the rich taste melted in his mouth, a thought crept into his mind.
Was it worth it?
He looked at his wrinkled hands, weak body, the years of loneliness, sacrifices he had made. He had spent his entire life chasing a flavor. And now that he had it, what did he have left?
The chocolate was everything he had dreamed of, yet he was not content. He felt superficial.
He had missed out on life. On love. On laughter. On moments he could never get back.
He sat in silence, staring at the half-eaten chocolate in his hand. Verily, for the first time in decades, he wished he had moved on. He desperately wanted to have control over his desires. Then he said to himself with a deep sigh. If only he had not been lured by selfish desires and petty obsession, only then would I not have seen such a miserable day.
Author: Hajira Umrani
Image taken from Hajira Creativity