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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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