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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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