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.