..~=*@#### ####@*=~..
...~=*@### ###@*=~...
....~=*@## ##@*=~....
.....~=*@# #@*=~.....
......~=*@ @*=~......
.......~=* 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. @*=~......
.......~=* *=~.......
........~= =~........
.........~ ~.........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........