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.