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