Central

By Andrew Zellgert and Sam Wright

Darkness forever shrouding...

 

Death's cold clutches close in...

 

As the drumbeat of war comes...

 

Randy's transition through life has led him to Central. A mysterious community filled with many wonders... and dangers... When he discovers its true purpose, he is launched into another intense

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zellgertbooks
• Release date: Dec 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9781088075555

Andrew Zellgert

Andrew Zellgert is an award-winning science fiction author who primarily writes for children and teens. The topics covered in his work translate the calamities of life into relatable, entertaining allegories. He currently has nine releases spanning from epic intergalactic espionage to chilling dystopian prison life. His latest work, The Adventures of Randy, is a sci-fi trilogy involving time travel, cunning villains, heroic sidekicks, and an intergalactic adventure you will never forget! Join Randy, the restaurant employee as he goes on an allegorical journey through self-discovery. Zellgert is a medalist in the Outstanding Creator Awards of Summer 2022 and was given a five-star review by Reader's Favorite. In his spare time, he loves to read children's books and go for walks in his hometown of St. Cloud Minnesota. You can contact or connect with Andrew Zellgert at: Twitter: @AndrewZellgert Facebook: @zellgertbooks Pinterest: /andrewzellgert Goodreads: Andrew Zellgert All Author: /author/andrewzellgert BookBub: @andrewzellgert

Book preview

Andrew Zellgert

Central

The Adventures of Randy #3

Copyright © 2022 by Andrew Zellgert

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Andrew Zellgert asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

First edition

ISBN: 9781088075555

Cover art by RebecaCovers

Editing by Sam Wright

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

Find out more at reedsy.com

Contents

I. SUPERINTENDENT NOTICE

~ Alterations Report ~

Adventure Log - The Box

Adventure Log - Worry

Adventure Log - The Family

Adventure Log - Procrastination

Adventure Log - Accountability

Adventure Log - Probability

Adventure Log - Hatsmen

Adventure Log - Prison

Adventure Log - The Dragon…

Adventure Log - Altered Reality

Adventure Log - The Train

Adventure Log - Love

Adventure Log - Confrontation

Adventure Log - Society

Adventure Log - Vile Intent

Adventure Log - Life

Adventure Log - Perspective

II. CENTRAL

Chapter 1: Minutemen

Chapter 2: The Sawdust of Life

Chapter 3: Vases

Chapter 4: The Magical Robot

Chapter 5: The Chair

Chapter 6: Prisoners of Time

Chapter 7: Floating Thoughts

Chapter 8: The Sacrifice

Chapter 9: Nothing at All

Chapter 10: The Abandoned House

Chapter 11: The Beneath

Chapter 12: The Sudden Fall

Chapter 13: Lost in Time

Chapter 14: The Deep

Chapter 15: Up

Chapter 16: Bearing Straight

Chapter 17: The Gate

Chapter 18: Charging Forth

Chapter 19: The End of All

Chapter 20: Understanding

About the Author

Also by Andrew Zellgert

I

Superintendent Notice

Dear Dr. Curtismen,

As you may already be aware, the timeline and the universe itself recently experienced a dimensional shift, and because of this, the Archive is no longer correct, and alterations need to be made to reflect the current times. A good example of this is your record stating you are dead, which is not the case anymore. Please transfer all information after this message into the archive logs immediately and put the record into effect on Monday.

Thanks!

-Superintendent

~ Alterations Report ~

This record is here to document and indicate the recent dimensional shift in the space-time continuum. The collision of multiple universes is a historic occasion, so these alterations are in queue to be made to the records of the archive:

Log: #10074

Subject File: Dr. Celery Curtismen

Location: Archive of Mars. Planet of Sono

Status: Alive. No longer dead.

Log: #103947

Subject File: Randy #5,769,549,674

Location: The Bread Company

Status: Alive. No longer looped. Randy exhibit needs renovation.

Log: #103959

Subject File: Chelsie

Location: The Bread Company

Status: Alive. No longer dead.

Log: #59275

Subject File: Wally Winderkins

Location: Space. Chess Box

Status: Alive. Transferred from the Dimension XMR. Unaware of the spacetime collision.

— This Record Alteration Will be Put into Effect the Following Week—

Adventure Log - The Box

Wally Winderkins sat on the ground, contemplating his next move. His chess opponent sat opposite of him, staring intently at the chessboard. Her queen was positioned at just the right place so that checkmate was guaranteed. Wally knew this and hated it. He wished he could win a game of chess against his friend, Karren, but she had successfully prevented him from winning… again.

You have lost, Karren said proudly.

I can see that, said Wally, who was extremely annoyed by how Karren had pointed out the obvious.

Let’s play again! said Karren. She then looked up at Wally and frowned. She must have read his face, because she asked, What is wrong?

What’s wrong? asked Wally. "What’s wrong? He shook his fists and said, I swear, I never win a chess game! Like ever!"

Karren burst into laughter. Of course, you don’t! she said. I hexed you so that you will always lose!

Well, that shouldn’t— began Wally, but then he stopped. Did you say you hexed me…? he asked in confusion.

Of course! said Karren.

How in the world would you be able to do that? asked Wally with a laugh. That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!

Because I am a witch! said Karren. I abducted you and wiped your memory so that you could lose to me in chess for eternity!

Karren, I think you are going a little crazy, said Wally. Actually, no. You have gone mad. I am going to call the hospital…

Oh, that won’t be necessary! said Karren. There is no hospital in this place. In fact, this entire dimension consists of you, me, this room, and this chessboard! Fun, huh?

Wally laughed and said, I am going home. He reached for the door, but Karren shouted, Wait! We could play again! I won’t stack the game against you! I promise! Just don’t walk through that door!

Why? asked Wally with hysterical laughter. He knew he was about to prove Karren wrong. Her hoax was about to be exposed and she knew it.

Because that door is not the exit! cried Karren.

Now you are lying straight to my face! said Wally. I walked through this door to get in here. I remember it clearly. My car is in the driveway, and I can leave at any time. He chuckled and said, I don’t know why you are saying all this to me, but it has certainly cheered me up. He nodded and stepped through the doorway. Much to his amazement and shock, there was no driveway. There was no street. Just an endless, vast void filled with nebulas and stars. He tried to catch himself; however, he had stepped too far. Wally Winderkins fell into the empty vastness of space, hence beginning his adventures through time and the universe.

Adventure Log - Worry

Wally Winderkins fell through space watching as the box that was the chess room slowly faded away from his sight. He had no idea what was happening to him or why. So many questions raced through his mind: how long have I been playing chess with the witch? How long have I been abducted? Has anyone missed me?

It was at this moment that he landed in a massive, sticky net connected to various floating chunks of rock in space. He struggled to escape, but it was no use. After a moment of shaking, he heard growling. He turned his head and realized he was not alone in this net. A massive something was crouched over towards the edge of it. Its eight legs slowly approached him while delicately walking across what he now realized was a spider’s web.

Wonnndddeeerrrfffuuulll… said the massive spider. Just what I was hoping to see: lunch.

Ahhh! shouted Wally as he watched his doom approach him. What are you? Though, he already knew the answer.

I am Worry! cackled the arachnid. Spreader of webs, master of traps, and cause of delays! Who do I owe this pleasure?

I … I… I… please don’t hurt me… stuttered Wally nervously.

That’s riiiggghhhttt, said Worry. Just keep yourself stuck while I snack on you…

AAHHH! shouted Wally.

The spider began to circle around Wally while watching as the web holding Wally began to slowly curl around him as if it were alive. This made Wally panic even more and he tried his hardest to break free, but he was not sure how to bust out of spider webs that were larger than a house. The spider was now so close that Wally could smell its breath.

After a few moments, he sighed and said, Fine. You win. I guess I truly am going to die today.

Worry froze. The spider looked around wildly as if it had gone into a mad fit. You… you… you… CAN’T say that! it cried.

Why not? asked Wally curiously. As he said this, the web began to loosen, and he realized what was going on. Why not? he repeated.

You were so anxious and concerned before! What happened! I don’t understand! cried the spider.

I have decided that you are right. I can’t escape you and I am stuck. In theory, I am helpless. I might as well accept that. Isn’t that right?

AHH! shouted Worry. You can’t accept things! You must be constantly thinking about your problems and how they will negatively impact you! cried Worry.

But I don’t see a reason to… said Wally.

NOOO!!! cried the massive arachnid as Wally slipped through the web and moved on through space.

Adventure Log - The Family

Wally continued to tumble through outer space. He was slightly proud of himself for beating Worry at its own game and he hoped he would not run into any other dangers on his way down. How wrong he was, for at this moment, he crashed through the roof of a house and landed in a chair at a dinner table. He looked up and a bunch of perturbed ghosts looked back at him.

Who is this? asked one of the ghosts.

I am not sure? said a female ghost crossly. It seems solid…

That is a problem, said the first ghost.

Look away children, cautioned the female ghost. Mommy and daddy will deal with the frightening man.

I am not frightening! said Wally. I am merrily passing through. Could you tell me how I can go home?

The ghosts looked at each other, then the father ghost said to his wife, Honey? Where is that Address Book again?

It is on the ceiling… like it always is, assured the wife.

The father looked up and, sure enough, an extremely thick book sat perfectly on the ceiling as if gravity did not affect it. The father floated up, grabbed the book, then returned to the dinner table where he began thumbing through the index.

What world are you from? asked the father ghost.

What? asked Wally in complete bewilderment.

What world are you from? repeated the father. Are you from K-600? XMR-52? DOS-43?

I am not entirely sure… said Wally.

Ooohhh! said the father ghost. You are from IDK-198!

I am…? asked Wally hopefully.

Without a doubt! said the mother ghost. She picked up a fork and pointed it at Wally. She inputted IDK-198 into it, then said, Hold still!

What are you…? began Wally, but then a laser came flying out of the fork and it hit Wally like a bolt of lightning. The world around him began to swirl and distort, slowly at first but quickening steadily.

We wish you the best with all the things you do! We hope that your home, wherever it is in IDK-198, is a good one! said the father ghost.

Daddy? Can you read me a bedtime obituary? asked the young ghost to his father.

Just one… said the father. But then you need to get to bed.

Just as the father was about to read, Wally was blasted into IDK-198 and out of