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.