#@@§%*†~:.                                          .:~†*%§@@#
§*~~~:....                                          ....:~~~*§
#@@§%*†~:.                                          .:~†*%§@@#
§§%†~:....                                          ....:~†%§§
§**~......                                          ......~**§
@@@§%*†~:. 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.       .:~†*%§@@#
##@§%*†~:.                                          .:~†*%§@##
#@@§%*†~:.                                          .:~†*%§@@#
@%*†::::..                                          ..::::†*%@
§§%†~~....                                          ....~~†%§§
@%†:......                                          ......:†%@