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.