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