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.