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.