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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.          .#.#.#.#.#
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#.#.#.#.#.     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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