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.