.,=/**@###                                          ###@**/=,.
..,=/**@##                                          ##@**/=,..
...,=/**@#                                          #@**/=,...
..,=/**@##                                          ##@**/=,..
.,=/**@###                                          ###@**/=,.
..,=/**@## 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.       #@**/=,...
..,=/**@##                                          ##@**/=,..
.,=/**@###                                          ###@**/=,.
..,=/**@##                                          ##@**/=,..
...,=/**@#                                          #@**/=,...
..,=/**@##                                          ##@**/=,..