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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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