#@##*^:-~.                                          .~-:^*##@#
#*^^-.....                                          .....-^^*#
#@##*^:-~.                                          .~-:^*##@#
@###*^:-~.                                          .~-:^*###@
##@#*^:-~.                                          .~-:^*#@##
#@##*^:-~. 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.       .~-:^*#@##
##*:~.....                                          .....~:*##
#^--~.....                                          .....~--^#
#*^^^-....                                          ....-^^^*#
##^^:::-~.                                          .~-:::^^##
@@##*^:-~.                                          .~-:^*##@@