#§§§§§;»~.                                          .~»;§§§§§#
§§§§§§;»~.                                          .~»;§§§§§§
##@§$§;»~.                                          .~»;§$§@##
§§§§$§;»~.                                          .~»;§$§§§§
#§$§;»~...                                          ...~»;§$§#
@$$§»».... IN  THE   ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE ....»»§$$@
##@§$§;»~. CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS...  WE TRUDGE ALONG .~»;§$§@##
##@§$§;»~.   THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY  .~»;§$§@##
##@§$§;»~. SNOWED  OVER, IN  THE STILL  HOURS SINCE .~»;§$§@##
§$;~......          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          ......~;$§
§§;»......                                          ......»;§§
###@$§;»~.     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     .~»;§$@###
#§§§»~~~~. 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. .....»§§§@
#@@§$§;»~.                                          .~»;§$§@@#
#@§$§§;»~. WEEKS EARLIER, IN THE  WEAK AUTUMN DAWN, .~»;§§$§@#
##@§$§;»~. IN  THE  BLUE-GRAY  FOG...  SOMETHING IS .~»;§$§@##
##@§$§;»~. BURNING  WITH  A   DEEP  CRIMSON  FLAME, .~»;§$§@##
##@§$§;»~.       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       .~»;§$§@##
#§§$§;~...                                          ...~;§$§§#
@$$§;;~~..                                          ..~~;;§$$@
##@§$§;»~.                                          .~»;§$§@##
@@$;~.....                                          .....~;$@@
##@§$§;»~.                                          .~»;§$§@##