.##......#                                          ....#..#..
.#.#.....#                                          #...##.##.
.####....#                                          ##..#.##.#
##...#...#                                          #.#.###.##
..#..##..#                                          .####..##.
..##.#.#.# 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.       #..####.##
.#..##.#.#                                          .#.#...##.
.##.#.####                                          #####..#.#
##.####...                                          .....#.###
..##...#..                                          #....###..
..#.#..##.                                          .#...#..#.