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.&&.&&.&.& 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... ..&..&.&.&
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..&..&.&.& 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. .&&.&&.&.&
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.&&.&&.&.& 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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