..,=†=%@@#                                          #@@%=†=,..
.,=†=%@@##                                          ##@@%=†=,.
..,=†=%@@#                                          #@@%=†=,..
...,=†=%@@                                          @@%=†=,...
..,=†=%@@#                                          #@@%=†=,..
.,=†=%@@## 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.       #@@%=†=,..
...,=†=%@@                                          @@%=†=,...
..,=†=%@@#                                          #@@%=†=,..
.,=†=%@@##                                          ##@@%=†=,.
..,=†=%@@#                                          #@@%=†=,..
...,=†=%@@                                          @@%=†=,...