.......:»; ;»:.......
........:» »:........
.........: :.........
.......... ..........
.........: :.........
........:» 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. *$;»:.....
....:»;$*# #*$;»:....
...:»;$*## ##*$;»:...
..:»;$*### ###*$;»:..
.:»;$*#### ####*$;»:.
..:»;$*### ###*$;»:..