.....@....                                          .@@@....@.
......@...                                          .@.@@....@
@......@..                                          ...@@@....
.@......@.                                          @..@.@@...
..@......@                                          @@...@@@..
...@...... 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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