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.