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.