.....,~*=¤                                          ¤=*~,.....
......,~*=                                          =*~,......
.......,~*                                          *~,.......
........,~                                          ~,........
.........,                                          ,.........
.......... 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.       *~,.......
........,~                                          ~,........
.........,                                          ,.........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........