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.