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