.......~«; ;«~.......
........~« «~........
.........~ ~.........
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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. ..........
.........~ ~.........
........~« 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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