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.