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.