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.