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.