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.