..,~$*¤###                                          ###¤*$~,..
.,~$*¤####                                          ####¤*$~,.
..,~$*¤###                                          ###¤*$~,..
...,~$*¤##                                          ##¤*$~,...
....,~$*¤#                                          #¤*$~,....
.....,~$*¤ IN  THE  ENDLESS   WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE ¤*$~,.....
......,~$* CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS...  WE TRUDGE ALONG *$~,......
.......,~$  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.       ###¤*$~,..
...,~$*¤##                                          ##¤*$~,...
....,~$*¤#                                          #¤*$~,....
.....,~$*¤                                          ¤*$~,.....
......,~$*                                          *$~,......
.......,~$                                          $~,.......