AS WE CROSS THE  MOUNTAIN,  WE CAN  WALK 
 ONLY AT NIGHT. LONG  AGO,  SOMEONE  HERE 
 MUST'VE  ANGERED THE SUN,  AND TODAY  IT 
 STILL BURNS US STRANGELY. BUT  WITH  THE 
 SUNSET THE AIR COMES  RAINING BACK  DOWN 
 AND GETS  THICK  ENOUGH  TO  BREATHE. IT 
 CARRIES WITH  IT  SMELLS FROM  FAR AWAY, 
 COLOURFUL SPARKS FOR THE  IMAGINATION, A 
 SHARP CONTRAST FOR  THE  STALE  BLACK OF 
 THE NIGHT.                               
                                          
 THE OTHERS  THINK I'M YOUNG,  THEY DON'T 
 TAKE  ME  SERIOUSLY  AND   I  FEAR  THEY 
 SNICKER  A  BIT.  YOU  USUALLY  GET  OLD 
 BEFORE  YOU LEARN  THE  TRADE ENOUGH  TO 
 TAKE  OTHER PEOPLE. BUT  I DO LEAD  THEM 
 SAFELY     FORWARD,     EVERY     NIGHT. 
                                          
 HOWEVER,  CURRENTLY THERE  SEEMS  TO  BE 
 SOMETHING GOING ON  AHEAD.  THOSE AROUND 
 THE  CORNER   HAVE   STOPPED,  SHOUTING, 
 POINTING.                                
                                          
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                                          
 MY GREATEST TREASURE, THE                
 BOOK OF STARS,   IS   A   COMBINED  MAP, 
 CALENDAR  AND  TIMEPIECE  AS LONG AS YOU 
 KNOW WHAT YEAR IT IS.  EVERY  PAGE  IS A 
 GRID  OF  NINE  STARFIELDS,  HAND DRAWN, 
 BELOW  WHICH ARE  WRITTEN COORDINATES IN 
 BOTH SPACE  AND TIME.  A  LOT  OF  IT IS 
 APPLICABLE  ON EARTH,  BUT  NOT ALL.  IT 
 HINTS  OF  OTHER  PLACES  -  SOME  STARS 
 REORDERED,   SOME  NAMES  I  HAVE  NEVER 
 HEARD.    SOMETIMES   THE   DATES    ARE 
 IMPOSSIBLE.                              
                                          
 THOSE PAGES ARE  EXACTLY WHAT I SCRAMBLE 
 FOR RIGHT NOW. I'VE  STOPPED  BREATHING. 
 I  SLING  OPEN THE  BOOK  OF STARS A BIT 
 TOO QUICK, SPILLING  ALL MY NOTES ON THE 
 GROUND.  ONE  LANDS ON MY FOOT,  IT IS A 
 DRAWING  OF  A  MUSCLE COW, BUT I  COULD 
 CARE LESS RIGHT NOW.                     
                                          
 FOR IT SEEMS LIKE  THERE'S A NEW MOON IN 
 THE SKY.