@¤%**»:... ...:»**%¤@
@@¤%**»:.. ..:»**%¤@@
#@@¤%**»:. .:»**%¤@@#
@@¤%**»:.. ..:»**%¤@@
@¤%**»:... ...:»**%¤@
¤%**»:.... 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. .....:»**%
**»:...... ......:»**
%**»:..... .....:»**%
¤%**»:.... ....:»**%¤
@¤%**»:... ...:»**%¤@
@@¤%**»:.. ..:»**%¤@@