....,~=*## ##*=~,....
...,,=**@# #@**=,,...
.,~=$*@#@@ @@#@*$=~,.
.,~=$*@#@# #@#@*$=~,.
.,~=$*@#@# #@#@*$=~,.
.....,~$$@ IN THE ENDLESS WINTER DAY, ON THE @$$~,.....
......,~$@ CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG @$~,......
..,~==$@@@ THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY @@@$==~,..
....,,=**# 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. ##*=~.....
.,~=$***## ##***$=~,.
...,,~~$@@ @@$~~,,...
.,~=$*#@## ##@#*$=~,.
.,~==$$*## ##*$$==~,.
.,~=$*@#@# #@#@*$=~,.