#§@†\~.,,,                                          ,,,.~\†@§#
##§@†\~.,,                                          ,,.~\†@§##
###§@†\~.,                                          ,.~\†@§###
##§@†\~.,,                                          ,,.~\†@§##
#§@†\~.,,,                                          ,,,.~\†@§#
§@†\~.,,,, 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.       ,.~\†@§###
##§@†\~.,,                                          ,,.~\†@§##
#§@†\~.,,,                                          ,,,.~\†@§#
§@†\~.,,,,                                          ,,,,.~\†@§
@†\~.,,,,,                                          ,,,,,.~\†@
†\~.,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,.~\†