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.