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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.       .....#.##.
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