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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. ..~~=§*###
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###*§=~~.. BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING ..~~=§*###
####*§=~~. GROUND. RIFLES ATTACHED TO OUR WRIST, .~~=§*####
###*§=~~.. SHARING IN OUR BLOODSTREAM. MY HUSKY, ..~~=§*###
##*§=~~... MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW... ...~~=§*##
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####*§=~~. 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. ..~~=§*###
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###*§=~~.. 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. ...~~=§*##
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