.~~\=&§@##                                          ##@§&=\~~.
..~~\=&§@#                                          #@§&=\~~..
...~~\=&§@                                          @§&=\~~...
....~~\=&§                                          §&=\~~....
.....~~\=&                                          &=\~~.....
......~~\= 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.       @§&=\~~...
....~~\=&§                                          §&=\~~....
.....~~\=&                                          &=\~~.....
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