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.