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.