.....&.&&.                                          &.&&&&..&.
.....&&&.&                                          &&&...&.&&
&....&..&&                                          &..&..&&&.
&&...&&.&.                                          &&.&&.&..&
..&..&.&&&                                          ..&&.&&&.&
&.&&.&&&.. 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.       &.&&&&...&
&...&.&.&&                                          .&&...&..&
.&..&&&&&.                                          &&.&..&&.&
&&&.&....&                                          &.&&&.&.&&
...&&&...&                                          &&&..&&&&.
...&..&..&                                          &..&.&...&