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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. ..........
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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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