@&@%*~-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-~*%@&@
&@%*~-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-~*%@&
@&@%*~-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-~*%@&@
#@&@%*~-¨¨ ¨¨-~*%@&@#
##@&@%*~-¨ ¨-~*%@&@##
#@&@%*~-¨¨ 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. ¨¨¨-~*%@&@
#@&@%*~-¨¨ ¨¨-~*%@&@#
##@&@%*~-¨ ¨-~*%@&@##
#@&@%*~-¨¨ ¨¨-~*%@&@#
@&@%*~-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-~*%@&@
&@%*~-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-~*%@&