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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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