@@@%«,,,,,                                          ,,,,,«%@@@
@@@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@@@
@$^«,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,«^$@
#@@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@@#
@@$$^^«,,,                                          ,,,«^^$$@@
@@@@$%^«,, in  the  endless   winter  day,  on  the ,,«^%$@@@@
@$^««,,,,, crystal white plains... we  trudge along ,,,,,««^$@
@@@@$%^«,,  the train tracks... themselves slowly   ,,«^%$@@@@
@@%««,,,,, snowed over,  in the  still  hours since ,,,,,««%@@
##@@@%^«,,          the last supply train.          ,,«^%@@@##
#@@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@@#
@$%^«,,,,,     bell-like sounds of the blinding     ,,,,,«^%$@
#@@@$%^«,, ground. rifles  attached  to  our wrist, ,,«^%$@@@#
#@@@$%^«,, sharing  in our  bloodstream.  my husky, ,,«^%$@@@#
#@@@$%^«,,      my warm-coffee-in-cold-snow...      ,,«^%$@@@#
#@@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@@#
@@$^,,,,,, the  first  five  shots  you  can  spend ,,,,,,^$@@
#@@@$%^«,, indiscriminately, they hurt  but deal no ,,«^%$@@@#
@@@$$%^«,, long time  damage  to the  shooter.  the ,,«^%$$@@@
@$$^««,,,, next five  you must spend  wisely,  they ,,,,««^$$@
#@@@$%^«,, will take  days to  heal. the final five ,,«^%$@@@#
#@@@$%^«,, you    must    not   spend    at    all. ,,«^%$@@@#
@@@$$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$$@@@
@@@@$%^«,, weeks earlier,  in the weak autumn dawn, ,,«^%$@@@@
@$%«,,,,,, in  the  blue-gray fog...  something  is ,,,,,,«%$@
@$$%%«,,,, burning  with  a  deep  crimson   flame, ,,,,«%%$$@
@@@@$%^«,,       untameable by water or wind.       ,,«^%$@@@@
##@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@##
#@@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@@#
@%^^«,,,,,                                          ,,,,,«^^%@
##@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@##
#@@@$%^«,,                                          ,,«^%$@@@#