,,,,:«†*%@                                          @%*†«:,,,,
,,,,,:«†*%                                          %*†«:,,,,,
,,,,:«†*%@                                          @%*†«:,,,,
,,,:«†*%@#                                          #@%*†«:,,,
,,:«†*%@##                                          ##@%*†«:,,
,:«†*%@### 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.       @%*†«:,,,,
,,,:«†*%@#                                          #@%*†«:,,,
,,:«†*%@##                                          ##@%*†«:,,
,:«†*%@###                                          ###@%*†«:,
,,:«†*%@##                                          ##@%*†«:,,
,,,:«†*%@#                                          #@%*†«:,,,