...^=;$$§# #§$$;=^...
..^=;$$§## ##§$$;=^..
.^=;$$§### ###§$$;=^.
..^=;$$§## ##§$$;=^..
...^=;$$§# #§$$;=^...
....^=;$$§ IN THE ENDLESS WINTER DAY, ON THE §$$;=^....
.....^=;$$ CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG $$;=^.....
......^=;$ 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 $;=^......
.....^=;$$ WILL TAKE DAYS TO HEAL. THE FINAL FIVE $$;=^.....
....^=;$$§ YOU MUST NOT SPEND AT ALL. §$$;=^....
...^=;$$§# #§$$;=^...
..^=;$$§## WEEKS EARLIER, IN THE WEAK AUTUMN DAWN, ##§$$;=^..
.^=;$$§### IN THE BLUE-GRAY FOG... SOMETHING IS ###§$$;=^.
..^=;$$§## BURNING WITH A DEEP CRIMSON FLAME, ##§$$;=^..
...^=;$$§# UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND. #§$$;=^...
....^=;$$§ §$$;=^....
.....^=;$$ $$;=^.....
......^=;$ $;=^......
.......^=; ;=^.......
........^= =^........