..==%*§¶##                                          ##¶§*%==..
..==%*§¶¶#                                          #¶¶§*%==..
..==%*§¶##                                          ##¶§*%==..
..==%*§¶##                                          ##¶§*%==..
..==%*§¶##                                          ##¶§*%==..
......=**¶ 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.       §§**===...
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.......=%§                                          §%=.......
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..==%%***§                                          §***%%==..
..==%*§¶##                                          ##¶§*%==..