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.