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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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%†:~......                                          ......~:†%