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