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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. .:~;§%¤###
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###¤%§;~:. 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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