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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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