§*/~......                                          ......~/*§
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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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@§*/~.....                                          .....~/*§@