He looked back into his childhood, back into the dusty, rural town he grew up in. It was a sparse and boring place, houses separated by large fields and the roads into the town proper were just dirt. Even though the town itself didn't have much to offer him, these years were the ones he looked back on most fondly. He would spent hours in the dark attic with a flashlight, reading dusty old books a father he never knew left for him. That, and the pictures left behind were the only connections he had to the man.  They had the same ears.

Warning, 25%

He was raised by his lonely mother, who did the best she could to provide for his insatiable curiosity, but he still occasionally saw the deep sadness in her eyes, especially when she looked out the windows. She never seemed to be looking at anything in particular.  She always made sure he had plenty of books to read, as he went through them as most young boys go through pants. His mother was very proud of her son, who every day was looking more and more like his father.

Warning, 20%

He didn't make friends very easily, but he never felt he needed them. Knowledge was the only thing he really wanted, so it wasn't a surprise to anyone when he worked as hard as he could to get into the best college available. He studied and studied and studied, and somehow in between he met his wife there. She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever met, and he loved her dearly. He did, didn't he?

Warning, 15%

They had a son together, and he loved his family, but nothing could have ever interfered with his love for the unknown. And what's the greatest unknown there is? Space, of course! Any time he didn't spend reading was usually spent staring at the dark, light spotted sky. It wasn't long until all of his texts were replaced with astronomy textbooks and journals, and his family no longer had any hope of reaching him.

Warning, 10%

He'd always felt out of place. He never craved the affection of others, and as a result he never experienced what it felt like to be home. It never really bothered him though, because he was too busy reading and studying and learning. Now though, he wonders if it was really a taste for knowledge, or actually just a search for home.

Warning, 5%

He stared off into the darkness all around him, nothing to touched for millions upon millions of miles. He drifted endlessly through the dark, with small lights surrounding him. He took a deep breath.

Finally, he was home.