###@¤**=.. ..=**¤@###
##@¤**=... ...=**¤@##
#@¤**=.... ....=**¤@#
@¤**=..... .....=**¤@
¤**=...... ......=**¤
**=....... 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. ....=**¤@#
@¤**=..... .....=**¤@
¤**=...... ......=**¤
**=....... .......=**
*=........ ........=*
=......... .........=