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.