.....,=;=@ @=;=,.....
......,=;= =;=,......
.......,=; ;=,.......
......,=;= =;=,......
.....,=;=@ @=;=,.....
....,=;=@@ 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. ;=,.......
......,=;= =;=,......
.....,=;=@ @=;=,.....
....,=;=@@ @@=;=,....
...,=;=@@# #@@=;=,...
..,=;=@@## ##@@=;=,..