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.