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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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