@=~-,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,-~=@
##@@§==~-,                                          ,-~==§@@##
##@@§==~-,                                          ,-~==§@@##
##@@§==~-,                                          ,-~==§@@##
@===~-,,,,                                          ,,,,-~===@
##@@§==~-, 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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#@§=-,,,,,                                          ,,,,,-=§@#
@@@§=~-,,,                                          ,,,-~=§@@@
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##@@§==~-,                                          ,-~==§@@##