.##.......                                          .#....#..#
.###......                                          ..#....#..
.#.##.....                                          ...#....#.
...###....                                          ....#....#
#..#.##...                                          #....#....
.#...###.. 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.       .....#....
.....#....                                          ......#...
......#...                                          #......#..
.......#..                                          ##......#.
........#.                                          .##......#
#........#                                          .###......