....:~*^$£                                          £$^*~:....
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.:~*^$£#@#                                          #@#£$^*~:.
..:~*^$£#@                                          @#£$^*~:..
...:~*^$£# IN  THE  ENDLESS   WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE #£$^*~:...
....:~*^$£ CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE  TRUDGE ALONG £$^*~:....
.....:~*^$   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.       @#£$^*~:..
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