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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.          ...##.#.#.
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..#.#....#     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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