,.«;**$$$#                                          #$$$**;«.,
,.«;*$&###                                          ###&$*;«.,
,,,,,,«**&                                          &**«,,,,,,
,.«;*$&###                                          ###&$*;«.,
,,,,«;*$##                                          ##$*;«,,,,
,.«;*$&### IN  THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,   ON  THE ###&$*;«.,
,.«;*$&### CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE TRUDGE  ALONG ###&$*;«.,
,.«;*$&###  THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY   ###&$*;«.,
,.«*$&#### SNOWED OVER,  IN THE STILL  HOURS  SINCE ####&$*«.,
,.«;*$&###          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          ###&$*;«.,
,,,,.««*$#                                          #$*««.,,,,
,,,,,«*$&#     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     #&$*«,,,,,
,,,,.;$$&& GROUND. RIFLES ATTACHED  TO  OUR  WRIST, &&$$;.,,,,
,.«;*$&&## SHARING IN  OUR BLOODSTREAM.  MY  HUSKY, ##&&$*;«.,
,,,,,«;**&      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.       &&****;«.,
,,,,,.«*$#                                          #$*«.,,,,,
,,,,«;*$&&                                          &&$*;«,,,,
,,,..««*&#                                          #&*««..,,,
,.«;*$&###                                          ###&$*;«.,
,.«;*$&&##                                          ##&&$*;«.,