.~-=%&&##@                                          @##&&%=-~.
.......-%&                                          &%-.......
.....~=&&&                                          &&&=~.....
.~-=%&&#@#                                          #@#&&%=-~.
....~=&&&&                                          &&&&=~....
.~-=%&&&&# 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.       @&&&&%=-~.
.~-=%&&###                                          ###&&%=-~.
.~-=%&&#@#                                          #@#&&%=-~.
...~~===&#                                          #&===~~...
.~-=%&&###                                          ###&&%=-~.
.~-=%&&&&@                                          @&&&&%=-~.