&......&.&                                          &&..&&&&.&
.&.....&&&                                          ..&.&...&&
&&&....&..                                          ..&&&&..&.
&..&...&&.                                          ..&...&.&&
.&.&&..&.&                                          &.&&..&&&.
.&&&.&.&&& 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.       .&&..&&..&
.&&.&.&&&.                                          .&.&.&.&.&
&&.&&&&..&                                          &&&&&&&&&&
..&&...&.&                                          ..........
..&.&..&&&                                          &.........
..&&&&.&..                                          .&........