&...&..&&&                                          .&..&&&&&.
&..&&.&...                                          &&.&....&&
&.&.&&&..&                                          .&&&...&..
&&&&..&.&&                                          &..&..&&.&
...&.&&&..                                          &.&&.&.&&.
..&&&..&.& 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.       &...&&&&..
&&&.&&&&.&                                          &..&...&.&
..&&...&&&                                          &.&&..&&&.
.&.&..&..&                                          &&.&.&..&.
&&&&.&&.&.                                          .&&&&&.&&.
...&&.&&&.                                          &....&&.&&