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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...      ....#...#.
.....#....                                          .....#...#
#.....#... 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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