,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,,,.///*%#                                          #%*///.,,,
,.~/*%#### 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.       #*~~~,,,,,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,
,.~/*%####                                          ####%*/~.,