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.