,,~:*%&¶##                                          ##¶&%*:~,,
,,,,~:::%&                                          &%:::~,,,,
,,,,,,~*%&                                          &%*~,,,,,,
,,,,:**%&¶                                          ¶&%**:,,,,
,,,,:*%%¶@                                          @¶%%*:,,,,
,,,,,:%%&@ 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.       ##@¶%*:~,,
,,~:*%&@##                                          ##@&%*:~,,
,,~:*&¶@##                                          ##@¶&*:~,,
,,~:*%¶@##                                          ##@¶%*:~,,
,,~:*%&¶@#                                          #@¶&%*:~,,
,,~:*%&¶¶¶                                          ¶¶¶&%*:~,,