[ WP ] You were born on a colonizing spacecraft on your way to a distant star . You are the middle generation of history ; born to late to have seen Earth , and to early to live to see your destination .

`` I'm sick of books and pictures,'' I said to my brother. I knew he was too young to understand what I was saying, but they say it helps people like me, the middle generation, to talk to someone. `` I want to see the real sky, the blue one our parents told us about. I do n't want to see these walls and the fake hologram sky in the Simulation Deck. I mean, sure, they say it's as real as Earth, but it's not the same, you know?'' My brother made a small noise as if he agreed with me. 
 
 Sometimes I thought he was smarter than the other babies on the ship; his temperament sure was n't as roudy as the others, that's for sure. I picked him up gently out of the small crib. My parents had taken it with them from Earth. `` A little piece of home,'' they called it. 
 
 `` But it's not my home,'' I muttered. I held my brother in my arms. `` Not yours either,'' I said, staring at his bright eyes. He laughed. `` Oh, you think that's funny, huh?'' I said with a smirk. His tiny hands grasped at the air. `` Maybe you'll get to see our new home,'' I told him. He made another small noise, this time sounding as though he were nervous at the idea. `` If I do get to see our new home with you, I'll be old... well, unless I choose the cryogen when I'm 21, but... I would n't get to see you grow up, now would I?'' Again my brother made a noise of agreement. `` Wait a minute,'' I realized suddenly, `` you're only a few months old... you wo n't get to see our new home either! There's about 100 years left, assuming we do n't run into any major problems. I'd be in cryogen too long... it would n't be healthy. The doctors probably would n't even let me!'' 
 
 A new, stronger sense of dread filled me, more powerful than any I'd felt before; it was worse than the day I turned nine, when I realized I was part of the middle generation. I could see that pained expression in older people's eyes - they knew that I and everyone else in my generation were born on this ship and that we would die on this ship. We were the generation that caused so many bittersweet moments; our parents were happy to have children, but they all knew we'd never get to see our new home. These walls, these floors, this ship: that would be our entire life. I almost felt sick, until my brother grabbed my shirt and pulled me out of my thoughts. A wide, happy grin was spread across his face. I could n't help but laugh. 
 
 `` You're not gon na let that get you down, though, are you?'' I said, tickling him. I put my brother into a small baby carrier and carefully picked him up. `` Come on,'' I told him, `` let's go to the Simulation Deck; I'll show you the sky.'' My brother laughed and kicked his legs as if excited. I chuckled as we left our home and headed to the deck.
