@†=»~.....                                          .....~»=†@
†=»~......                                          ......~»=†
=»~.......                                          .......~»=
†=»~......                                          ......~»=†
@†=»~.....                                          .....~»=†@
&@†=»~.... 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.       .......~»=
†=»~......                                          ......~»=†
@†=»~.....                                          .....~»=†@
&@†=»~....                                          ....~»=†@&
#&@†=»~...                                          ...~»=†@&#
##&@†=»~..                                          ..~»=†@&##