...^«\$&§@                                          @§&$\«^...
..^«\$&§@#                                          #@§&$\«^..
.^«\$&§@##                                          ##@§&$\«^.
..^«\$&§@#                                          #@§&$\«^..
...^«\$&§@                                          @§&$\«^...
....^«\$&§ IN  THE  ENDLESS   WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE §&$\«^....
.....^«\$& 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, #@§&$\«^..
.^«\$&§@##       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ##@§&$\«^.
..^«\$&§@#                                          #@§&$\«^..
...^«\$&§@                                          @§&$\«^...
....^«\$&§                                          §&$\«^....
.....^«\$&                                          &$\«^.....
......^«\$                                          $\«^......