...@@...@.                                          @@@@....@@
@..@.@..@@                                          @...@...@.
@@.@@@@.@.                                          @@..@@..@@
..@@...@@@                                          @.@.@.@.@.
..@.@..@..                                          @@@@@@@@@@
@.@@@@.@@. 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.       @@.@@..@@.
...@@..@@.                                          ..@@.@.@.@
@..@.@.@.@                                          @.@.@@@@@@
.@.@@@@@@@                                          .@@@@.....
.@@@......                                          .@...@....
.@..@.....                                          @@@..@@...