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##@¤%%\~:. 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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