†:~....... .......~:†
:~........ ........~:
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.......... ..........
.......... 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 ...~:†%¤£@
£¤%†:~.... INDISCIMINATORY, THEY HURT BUT DEAL NO ....~:†%¤£
¤%†:~..... LONG TIME DAMAGE TO THE WIELDER. THE .....~:†%¤
%†:~...... NEXT FIVE YOU MUST SPEND WISELY, THEY ......~:†%
†:~....... WILL TAKE DAYS TO HEAL. THE NEXT 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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%†:~...... ......~:†%