&$$::,....                                          ....,::$$&
###&$†:=,.                                          .,=:†$&###
###&$†:=,.                                          .,=:†$&###
##&&$†:=,.                                          .,=:†$&&##
#&$†:::=,.                                          .,=:::†$&#
###&$†:=,. in  the  endless  winter  day,   on  the .,=:†$&###
###&$†:=,. crystal white  plains... we trudge along .,=:†$&###
#$$$:=,...   the train tracks... themselves slowly  ...,=:$$$#
###&$†:=,. snowed over,  in the still  hours  since .,=:†$&###
###&$†:=,.          the last supply train.          .,=:†$&###
&&&$$†:=,.                                          .,=:†$$&&&
###&$†:=,.     bell-like sounds of the blinding     .,=:†$&###
#$$::,.... ground.  rifles  attached  to our wrist, ....,::$$#
###&$†:=,. sharing  in  our bloodstream. my  husky, .,=:†$&###
###&$†:=,.      my warm-coffee-in-cold-snow...      .,=:†$&###
&&&&$†:=,.                                          .,=:†$&&&&
###&$†:=,. the  first  five  shots  you  can  spend .,=:†$&###
#$$†=..... indiscriminately, they  hurt but deal no .....=†$$#
&†==...... 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. .,=:††††&#
&††††=....                                          ....=††††&
##$:====,. weeks earlier, in the weak  autumn dawn, .,====:$##
###&$†:=,. in the  blue-gray  fog...  something  is .,=:†$&###
###&$†:=,. burning  with  a   deep  crimson  flame, .,=:†$&###
###&$†:=,.       untameable by water or wind.       .,=:†$&###
###&$†:=,.                                          .,=:†$&###
&†==,.....                                          .....,==†&
&†=,,.....                                          .....,,=†&
#&$:=,....                                          ....,=:$&#
#&†:==,,..                                          ..,,==:†&#