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.