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