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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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