.,~:=§¶@##                                          ##@¶§=:~,.
.,~:=§¤@##                                          ##@¤§=:~,.
.,~:=§¤¶@#                                          #@¶¤§=:~,.
.,~:=§¤¶@#                                          #@¶¤§=:~,.
.,~:=§¤¶@#                                          #@¶¤§=:~,.
.,~:=§¤¶@# 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.       ¶¶¶¤§=:~,.
......~=§¶                                          ¶§=~......
.,~:=§¤¶@#                                          #@¶¤§=:~,.
...,:::=§¶                                          ¶§=:::,...
.,~~~=§¤¶¶                                          ¶¶¤§=~~~,.
.,~:=§¤¤¤@                                          @¤¤¤§=:~,.