@#@†=~,...                                          ...,~=†@#@
#@#@†=~,..                                          ..,~=†@#@#
##@#@†=~,.                                          .,~=†@#@##
#@#@†=~,..                                          ..,~=†@#@#
@#@†=~,...                                          ...,~=†@#@
#@†=~,.... 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.       .,~=†@#@##
#@#@†=~,..                                          ..,~=†@#@#
@#@†=~,...                                          ...,~=†@#@
#@†=~,....                                          ....,~=†@#
@†=~,.....                                          .....,~=†@
†=~,......                                          ......,~=†