@#$^----~,                                          ,~----^$#@
##@#$=^-~,                                          ,~-^=$#@##
##@#$=^-~,                                          ,~-^=$#@##
##@#$=^-~,                                          ,~-^=$#@##
##@#$=^-~,                                          ,~-^=$#@##
##@#$=^-~, in  the  endless  winter  day,  on   the ,~-^=$#@##
##@#$=^-~, crystal white plains... we  trudge along ,~-^=$#@##
###$=^^-~,   the train tracks... themselves slowly  ,~-^^=$###
#@$$^~,,,, snowed over, in  the still  hours  since ,,,,~^$$@#
#@$^-~,,,,          the last supply train.          ,,,,~-^$@#
#@$=^~~,,,                                          ,,,~~^=$@#
##@#$=^-~,     bell-like sounds of the blinding     ,~-^=$#@##
@#==---~~, 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, ,,,,,-^==#
###@#$^-~,       untameable by water or wind.       ,~-^$#@###
#==^~~,,,,                                          ,,,,~~^==#
##@#$=^-~,                                          ,~-^=$#@##
##=--,,,,,                                          ,,,,,--=##
#@#=--,,,,                                          ,,,,--=#@#
##@#$=^-~,                                          ,~-^=$#@##