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