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