¤==,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,==¤
#@@¤@=*=:, ,:=*=@¤@@#
#@@¤@=*=:, ,:=*=@¤@@#
##@¤@=*=:, ,:=*=@¤@##
#@@¤@=*=:, ,:=*=@¤@@#
##@¤@=*=:, 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. ,,,,,:**@¤
##@¤@=*=:, ,:=*=@¤@##
##@@¤=*=:, ,:=*=¤@@##
##@@¤=*=:, ,:=*=¤@@##
#@@¤@=*=:, ,:=*=@¤@@#
@@@¤@=*=:, ,:=*=@¤@@@