...-:^$### ###$^:-...
....-:^$## ##$^:-....
.....-:^$# #$^:-.....
......-:^$ $^:-......
.....-:^$# #$^:-.....
....-:^$## 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. #$^:-.....
......-:^$ $^:-......
.....-:^$# #$^:-.....
....-:^$## ##$^:-....
...-:^$### ###$^:-...
..-:^$#### ####$^:-..