####*$/~-,                                          ,-~/$*####
####*$/~-,                                          ,-~/$*####
####*$/~-,                                          ,-~/$*####
##***$/~-,                                          ,-~/$***##
####*$/~-,                                          ,-~/$*####
####*$/~-, in  the  endless  winter  day,  on   the ,-~/$*####
###*$/-,,, crystal white plains... we trudge  along ,,,-/$*###
##*$$~-,,,  the train tracks... themselves slowly   ,,,-~$$*##
#$~~--,,,, snowed  over, in the still  hours  since ,,,,--~~$#
##$$~,,,,,          the last supply train.          ,,,,,~$$##
####*$/~-,                                          ,-~/$*####
##**/-,,,,     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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####*$/~-,                                          ,-~/$*####