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.