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.