#@#@$**=^,                                          ,^=**$@#@#
@$*=^,,,,,                                          ,,,,,^=*$@
@$*=,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,=*$@
###@$**=^,                                          ,^=**$@###
#@*=^,,,,,                                          ,,,,,^=*@#
@$$$**^^,, in  the  endless  winter  day,   on  the ,,^^**$$$@
@@*=,,,,,, 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, ,^=*****@@
#$**=^^,,, in  the blue-gray  fog...  something  is ,,,^^=**$#
#$*^,,,,,, burning  with  a  deep  crimson   flame, ,,,,,,^*$#
###@$**=^,       untameable by water or wind.       ,^=**$@###
##@#@$**^,                                          ,^**$@#@##
#@#@$**=^,                                          ,^=**$@#@#
##@@$**=^,                                          ,^=**$@@##
###@$**=^,                                          ,^=**$@###
#@#@$**=^,                                          ,^=**$@#@#