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.