..,,:^^&&@                                          @&&^^:,,..
.,«:^$$&&#                                          #&&$$^:«,.
.,«:^$&@##                                          ##@&$^:«,.
.,«:^^^^$@                                          @$^^^^:«,.
.,«:^$&@##                                          ##@&$^:«,.
...,::^&@# 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, &&&^«,....
.,«:^$&@##       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ##@&$^:«,.
.,«:^$&@##                                          ##@&$^:«,.
.,«:^^$$@@                                          @@$$^^:«,.
.,«:^$&@##                                          ##@&$^:«,.
.,«:^$&@##                                          ##@&$^:«,.
.,«:^$&@##                                          ##@&$^:«,.