..,=:=%@##                                          ##@%=:=,..
...,=:=%@#                                          #@%=:=,...
....,=:=%@                                          @%=:=,....
.....,=:=%                                          %=:=,.....
......,=:=                                          =:=,......
.......,=: 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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