......=/%@ @%/=......
.......=/% %/=.......
........=/ /=........
.........= =.........
........=/ /=........
.......=/% 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. @¤@%/=....
.....=/%@¤ ¤@%/=.....
......=/%@ @%/=......
.......=/% %/=.......
........=/ /=........
.........= =.........