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.