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