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