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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... &.&.&.&.&.
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&&.&.&.&.& 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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