Stewart

By Andrew Zellgert

Alone in space, Stewart dwells.

Lost, rejected, overwhelmed.

On a journey through outer space,

To discover if life is worth his fate.

 

A story about depression and loneliness.

 

Illustrated Edition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zellgertbooks
• Release date: Mar 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215045473

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

Stewart

Andrew Zellgert

This story is dedicated to a fellow astronaut

who departed and never came back.

Copyright © 2023 by Andrew Zellgert

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Book Cover by RebecaCovers

3rd edition 2023

Contents

BookLife Review

1.Color

2.The Empty Void

3.Space

4.The Watchmaker

5.The Party

6.Dr. Despondency

7.Lost

8.The Four Artists

9.Inevitable Destruction

Enforcement Log: 053

BookLife Review

Although abstract in presentation, Zellgert never pushes the symbolic nature of the story to the point where it’s confusing to follow. Readers who can relate to the challenges Stewart faces will find wisdom and encouragement in this treatment of the hurdles created by depression, anxiety, and loneliness, especially as Zellgert shows how those hurdles can be overcome—and, crucially, that sometimes Stewart has to try more than once. When he falls off the path of light, he gets the help he needs to find his way back. Both science fiction and full of heart, this will be a relatable journey many will find inspiring.

Color

Stewart sat in his blank office cubical. It had been several hours since break, and he desperately wanted to stop and enjoy the nice weather outside. He turned to stare out the windows, gazed upon the busy streets below, and smiled somberly. Everyone had a place they needed to be. Nobody bothered to look around anymore. He continued to work on his office work and observed the crinkles on the pages he signed. Another somber smile from the employee and a sigh made even the white cubical feel small.

Interestingly, everything in Stewart’s world was white. No gradients and no extra colors except the black outlines signifying corners and lines, much like a coloring book. Stewart also comprised of intricate black lines and white filling, which to him, made his existence sad. He knew color existed, like everyone else, but they were not sure what it looked like nor what it would be like to see anything beyond the bright white everything.

Stewart stopped typing and put his head in his hands. This time causing his thick black lines to slump in the chair he sat in. The depressing, anxiety-inducing white place made him feel nauseated as he worked. The other employees would frequently tease Stewart for being sick of how the world looked. ‘How silly you are being!’ they would say as they sipped their black coffee in white cups. ‘Stop overthinking! It will lead to trouble if you are not careful!’

Stewart always disregarded their comments and, instead of working, would read every shred of evidence that color was real. He studied Color Theory, color charts (though they all appeared as white), shading, and tinting.

When his shift was over for the day, he carefully placed the completed files full of boring legal text in a stack and placed them in a bin outside his cubicle where his manager would use them for evaluation. Any mistake in the paperwork would result in an immediate discharge and a severe payment cut, so completing them correctly the first time was critical.

After punching his timecard, he stepped out of the building and breathed a deep breath of fresh air. He reached into his bag, pulled out his book about color, and read it intensely as he walked down the sidewalk. As he walked, he learned about how the value of color, the hue, and the chroma all worked together to form what people perceived as color. He stopped and strained his eyes as he desperately tried to see what the book had told him. Though he tried hard, he could not see the color the book had led him to believe.

Stewart threw the book in the trash, disappointed in how little it described. Another useless theory book. He wondered if the books were even telling the truth. Perhaps his fellow colleagues were right? Perhaps color never existed, and they truly lived in a black-and-white world. Perhaps—

HELP!

Stewart looked up from his thoughts, and before him was a young girl