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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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