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