....~~;$¤& &¤$;~~....
...~~;$¤&£ £&¤$;~~...
..~~;$¤&£# #£&¤$;~~..
.~~;$¤&£## ##£&¤$;~~.
..~~;$¤&£# #£&¤$;~~..
...~~;$¤&£ IN THE ENDLESS WINTER DAY, ON THE £&¤$;~~...
....~~;$¤& CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG &¤$;~~....
.....~~;$¤ THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY ¤$;~~.....
......~~;$ 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. #£&¤$;~~..
.~~;$¤&£## ##£&¤$;~~.
..~~;$¤&£# #£&¤$;~~..
...~~;$¤&£ £&¤$;~~...
....~~;$¤& &¤$;~~....
.....~~;$¤ ¤$;~~.....