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.