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.