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