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.