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