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.