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.