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