.,-:**####                                          ####**:-,.
..,-:**###                                          ###**:-,..
...,-:**##                                          ##**:-,...
....,-:**#                                          #**:-,....
.....,-:**                                          **:-,.....
......,-:* 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.       ##**:-,...
..,-:**###                                          ###**:-,..
.,-:**####                                          ####**:-,.
..,-:**###                                          ###**:-,..
...,-:**##                                          ##**:-,...
....,-:**#                                          #**:-,....