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.