........~=                                          =~........
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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.       =~........
.......~==                                          ==~.......
......~==%                                          %==~......
.....~==%&                                          &%==~.....
....~==%&£                                          £&%==~....
...~==%&£@                                          @£&%==~...