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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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@.@@.....@                                          .@...@@@..
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