..........                                          &&....&&..
&&&&&&&&&.                                          ...&&....&
&&&&&&&&..                                          &&....&&..
.&&&&&&..&                                          &..&&.....
..&&&&....                                          ......&&&&
...&&..&&. IN  THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON   THE .&&&&..&&.
&&........ CRYSTAL  WHITE PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG ..&&......
...&&&&&&&  THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY   .....&&&&.
&&..&&&&&& SNOWED OVER, IN  THE  STILL HOURS  SINCE &&&&..&&..
.....&&&&.          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          .&&.......
&&&&..&&..                                          ....&&&&&&
&&&......&     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     .&&..&&&&&
&&..&&&&.. GROUND.  RIFLES  ATTACHED  TO OUR WRIST, ......&&&&
&....&&... SHARING IN  OUR BLOODSTREAM.  MY  HUSKY, &&&&&..&&&
..&&....&&      MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW...      &&&&....&&
.....&&..&                                          &&&..&&...
&&&&...... THE  FIRST  FIVE  SHOTS  YOU  CAN  SPEND &&......&&
&&&..&&&&. INDISCRIMINATELY, THEY HURT  BUT DEAL NO &..&&&&..&
&&....&&.. LONG TIME DAMAGE  TO  THE  SHOOTER.  THE ....&&....
...&&....& NEXT  FIVE  YOU MUST SPEND  WISELY, THEY .&&....&&.
&&....&&.. WILL  TAKE  DAYS TO HEAL. THE FINAL FIVE ....&&....
...&&....& YOU    MUST    NOT    SPEND   AT    ALL. &&&....&&.
&&....&&..                                          &&..&&....
...&&..... WEEKS EARLIER,  IN THE WEAK AUTUMN DAWN, &......&&.
&&....&&&& IN  THE  BLUE-GRAY FOG...  SOMETHING  IS ..&&&&....
...&&..&&& BURNING  WITH  A  DEEP   CRIMSON  FLAME, &..&&..&&.
&&......&&       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ..........
...&&&&..&                                          .&&&&&&&&.
&&..&&....                                          ..&&&&&&..
.......&&&                                          &..&&&&...
&&&&&&..&&                                          ....&&..&&
&&&&&.....                                          .&&......&