@..@..@...                                          @@....@..@
@@..@..@..                                          .@@....@.@
.@@..@..@.                                          .@@@.....@
.@@@..@..@                                          .@.@@.....
.@.@@..@..                                          ...@@@....
...@@@..@. 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.       @..@...@..
....@@@...                                          .@..@...@.
....@.@@..                                          ..@..@...@
@.....@@@.                                          ...@..@...
.@....@.@@                                          ....@..@..
..@.....@@                                          .....@..@.