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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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