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.