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.