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.