,,,,,,~:$&                                          &$:~,,,,,,
,,,,,~:$&#                                          #&$:~,,,,,
,,,,~:$&#@                                          @#&$:~,,,,
,,,~:$&#@#                                          #@#&$:~,,,
,,~:$&#@##                                          ##@#&$:~,,
,,,~:$&#@# IN  THE   ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE #@#&$:~,,,
,,,,~:$&#@ CRYSTAL WHITE  PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG @#&$:~,,,,
,,,,,~:$&#   THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY  #&$:~,,,,,
,,,,,,~:$& SNOWED  OVER, IN THE  STILL HOURS  SINCE &$:~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~:$          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.       @#&$:~,,,,
,,,~:$&#@#                                          #@#&$:~,,,
,,~:$&#@##                                          ##@#&$:~,,
,,,~:$&#@#                                          #@#&$:~,,,
,,,,~:$&#@                                          @#&$:~,,,,
,,,,,~:$&#                                          #&$:~,,,,,