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.