Minichupikkk

I couldnt stop thinking about it so i had to draw it

Some thoughts:

He doesn’t call it a journal and doesn’t want to be seen doing it, so he hides it from everyone. The one time someone asked, he brushed it off as “just notes.” Think stuff like hunting trails, tracks, useful spots, supplies, tally marks,...

At first it WAS a field log with those things, but over time it picked up sketches, names, and memories

He presses leaves or flowers at random spots between the pages and maybe other stuff too, like a matchbox label or a page torn from that book on abuse Carol saw him pick up.

Uses whatever is on hand: pencil, coal, burnt matchstick, probably even blood from a nicked finger if there is nothing else.

He’s bad at writing. His spelling’s rough and he hates his handwriting, so it’s mostly short phrases or words or fragments that only make sense to him. When he does try to write something longer, he usually scribbles it out. He likes doodling better, animals he sees while taking a break from hunting or out on a supply run. He just enjoys the act of it, doesn't think what he draws is any good.

because of the writing thing, he mostly uses symbols. Things like rosses, arrows, circles,... shorthand for things like safe, danger, quiet spot.

His writing gets better over time. It’s slow and awkward, but you'd be able to tell if you'd flip through. His handwriting evolves from chicken scratch to something a little steadier.

He'd start using it the way other people talk to ghosts, maybe. Writes stuff like “you’d like this place” or “saw a hawk today, same kind you used to point out.” 'You' being his mom, or Merle, or even Beth. Never his dad.

I feel like he'd maybe start recording recipes or experiments too, stuff like fish jerky -- too salty

One page is torn halfway out. If you looked close, you’d see the outline of someone’s profile drawn lightly beneath where the tear starts.

He never looks back at it, finds it really embarrassing, but he'll often write straight over something else to save space.