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.