..--*$&###                                          ###&$*--..
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..--*$&###                                          ###&$*--..
.--*$&#### IN  THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON   THE ####&$*--.
..--*$&### CRYSTAL WHITE  PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG ###&$*--..
...--*$&##  THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY   ##&$*--...
..--*$&### SNOWED OVER,  IN THE  STILL  HOURS SINCE ###&$*--..
.--*$&####          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          ####&$*--.
..--*$&###                                          ###&$*--..
...--*$&##     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     ##&$*--...
..--*$&### GROUND.  RIFLES  ATTACHED  TO OUR WRIST, ###&$*--..
.--*$&#### SHARING IN OUR  BLOODSTREAM.  MY  HUSKY, ####&$*--.
..--*$&###      MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW...      ###&$*--..
...--*$&##                                          ##&$*--...
..--*$&### THE  FIRST  FIVE  SHOTS  YOU  CAN  SPEND ###&$*--..
.--*$&#### INDISCRIMINATELY, THEY HURT BUT  DEAL NO ####&$*--.
..--*$&### LONG  TIME  DAMAGE TO  THE SHOOTER.  THE ###&$*--..
...--*$&## NEXT FIVE  YOU MUST SPEND  WISELY,  THEY ##&$*--...
..--*$&### WILL TAKE DAYS  TO HEAL. THE  FINAL FIVE ###&$*--..
.--*$&#### YOU    MUST    NOT    SPEND    AT   ALL. ####&$*--.
..--*$&###                                          ###&$*--..
...--*$&## WEEKS EARLIER, IN THE  WEAK AUTUMN DAWN, ##&$*--...
..--*$&### IN  THE  BLUE-GRAY  FOG...  SOMETHING IS ###&$*--..
.--*$&#### BURNING  WITH  A  DEEP   CRIMSON  FLAME, ####&$*--.
..--*$&###       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ###&$*--..
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.--*$&####                                          ####&$*--.
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...--*$&##                                          ##&$*--...