=†~~...... ......~~†=
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.......... ..........
.......... 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. ..........
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¤=†~~..... .....~~†=¤