#@¤$%†»~..                                          ..~»†%$¤@#
@¤$%†»~...                                          ...~»†%$¤@
¤$%†»~....                                          ....~»†%$¤
$%†»~.....                                          .....~»†%$
%†»~......                                          ......~»†%
†»~....... 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.       ........~»
~.........                                          .........~
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~.........                                          .........~
»~........                                          ........~»
†»~.......                                          .......~»†