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.