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.