&¤%*~..... .....~*%¤&
¤%*~...... ......~*%¤
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#&¤%*~.... ....~*%¤&#
##&¤%*~... ...~*%¤&##
###&¤%*~.. 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. .....~*%¤&
#&¤%*~.... ....~*%¤&#
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#&¤%*~.... ....~*%¤&#