.......:»= =»:.......
......:»=* *=»:......
.....:»=*& &*=»:.....
....:»=*&¤ ¤&*=»:....
...:»=*&¤@ @¤&*=»:...
..:»=*&¤@@ 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. @¤&*=»:...
....:»=*&¤ ¤&*=»:....
.....:»=*& &*=»:.....
......:»=* *=»:......
.......:»= =»:.......
........:» »:........