..^^~^^**#                                          #**^^~^^..
.^~^%*§#@#                                          #@#§*%^~^.
...~~~~%%§                                          §%%~~~~...
.^~^%*§#@@                                          @@#§*%^~^.
.^~^%*§#@#                                          #@#§*%^~^.
.^~^%*§#@# 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.       ##@§*%^~^.
.....~%*§@                                          @§*%~.....
.^~^%***##                                          ##***%^~^.
....^^^^*#                                          #*^^^^....
.....^^^%§                                          §%^^^.....
......^~%§                                          §%~^......