@*$\=,....                                          ....,=\$*@
#@*$\=,...                                          ...,=\$*@#
##@*$\=,..                                          ..,=\$*@##
###@*$\=,.                                          .,=\$*@###
##@*$\=,..                                          ..,=\$*@##
#@*$\=,... 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, ...,=\$*@#
##@*$\=,..       untameable by water or wind.       ..,=\$*@##
###@*$\=,.                                          .,=\$*@###
##@*$\=,..                                          ..,=\$*@##
#@*$\=,...                                          ...,=\$*@#
@*$\=,....                                          ....,=\$*@
*$\=,.....                                          .....,=\$*