&***=-.... ....-=***&
####&*=\-. .-\=*&####
###&*=\-.. ..-\=*&###
####*=\-.. ..-\=*####
&&===-.... ....-===&&
##*=\-.... 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. ..-\=*&###
###&*=\-.. ..-\=*&###
&=\-...... ......-\=&
#*=\\..... .....\\=*#
&*\-...... ......-\*&
&*\--..... .....--\*&