@%**=:....                                          ....:=**%@
%**=:.....                                          .....:=**%
**=:......                                          ......:=**
%**=:.....                                          .....:=**%
@%**=:....                                          ....:=**%@
#@%**=:... 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.       ..:=**%@##
###@%**=:.                                          .:=**%@###
##@%**=:..                                          ..:=**%@##
#@%**=:...                                          ...:=**%@#
@%**=:....                                          ....:=**%@
%**=:.....                                          .....:=**%