#@@&$^^»-. .-»^^$&@@#
&&&$^^»-.. ..-»^^$&&&
@&&$^^-... ...-^^$&&@
#@@&$^^»-. .-»^^$&@@#
@@@&$^^»-. .-»^^$&@@@
@&^^---... 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, .-»^^^^$$&
&$^^»-.... UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND. ....-»^^$&
#@@&$^^»-. .-»^^$&@@#
&&^^»..... .....»^^&&
@$$$^»»»-. .-»»»^$$$@
#@@&$^^»-. .-»^^$&@@#
#@@&$^^»-. .-»^^$&@@#