..@@.@@..@                                          @..@......
..@@.@@@..                                          .@..@.....
..@@.@.@@.                                          ..@..@....
..@@...@@@                                          ...@..@...
..@@@..@.@                                          ....@..@..
..@.@@...@ 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.       @..@......
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.....@....                                          ...@@@..@.