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.