.^^^/%%§@@                                          @@§%%/^^^.
.^~/%$§@@#                                          #@@§$%/~^.
.^~/%$§@@#                                          #@@§$%/~^.
.^~/%$§@@#                                          #@@§$%/~^.
.^~/%$$$§@                                          @§$$$%/~^.
.^~/%$§@@# IN  THE   ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE #@@§$%/~^.
.^~/%$§@@@ CRYSTAL  WHITE PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG @@@§$%/~^.
.^~/%$§@@#  THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY   #@@§$%/~^.
.....~~%$@ SNOWED  OVER,  IN THE  STILL HOURS SINCE @$%~~.....
.^~/%$§@@@          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          @@@§$%/~^.
......~%%§                                          §%%~......
.^~/%$§@@#     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     #@@§$%/~^.
...^^~%$$@ GROUND.  RIFLES  ATTACHED  TO OUR WRIST, @$$%~^^...
.....^//%§ 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.       §§%~......
.^~/%$@@##                                          ##@@$%/~^.
....^/%%$§                                          §$%%/^....
...~~%$$$@                                          @$$$%~~...
.^~/%$§@@@                                          @@@§$%/~^.
.....^^~%§                                          §%~^^.....