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.