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.