%*=~......                                          ......~=*%
*=~.......                                          .......~=*
=~........                                          ........~=
~.........                                          .........~
..........                                          ..........
~......... 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.       ....~=*%£#
##£%*=~...                                          ...~=*%£##
###£%*=~..                                          ..~=*%£###
##£%*=~...                                          ...~=*%£##
#£%*=~....                                          ....~=*%£#
£%*=~.....                                          .....~=*%£