.........& ...&&&&...
&&&&&&&&.. &&..&&..&&
&&&&&&&..& &........&
&&&&&&.... ..&&&&&&..
.&&&&..&&. ...&&&&...
..&&...... 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. ...&&&&&&&
&&..&&..&& &&..&&&&&&
&......... .....&&&&&
..&&&&&&&& &&&&..&&&&
...&&&&&&. &&&....&&.
&&..&&&&.. &&..&&....