..~~†$@@## ##@@$†~~..
...~~†$@@# #@@$†~~...
....~~†$@@ @@$†~~....
.....~~†$@ @$†~~.....
......~~†$ $†~~......
.......~~† IN THE ENDLESS WINTER DAY, ON THE †~~.......
......~~†$ 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. @@$†~~....
.....~~†$@ @$†~~.....
......~~†$ $†~~......
.......~~† †~~.......
......~~†$ $†~~......
.....~~†$@ @$†~~.....