#@#@%*:=^. .^=:*%@#@#
@#@%*:=^.. ..^=:*%@#@
#@%*:=^... ...^=:*%@#
@%*:=^.... ....^=:*%@
%*:=^..... .....^=:*%
*:=^...... 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. ...^=:*%@#
@#@%*:=^.. ..^=:*%@#@
#@#@%*:=^. .^=:*%@#@#
@#@%*:=^.. ..^=:*%@#@
#@%*:=^... ...^=:*%@#
@%*:=^.... ....^=:*%@