¶$**^~,...                                          ...,~^**$¶
¶§*~,,,...                                          ...,,,~*§¶
§$$*^,....                                          ....,^*$$§
##¶§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§¶##
¶$$$*^~~,.                                          .,~~^*$$$¶
##¶§$*^~,. in  the  endless  winter  day,  on   the .,~^*$§¶##
##¶§$*^~,. crystal white plains... we  trudge along .,~^*$§¶##
§§§§$*^~,.   the train tracks... themselves slowly  .,~^*$§§§§
##¶§$*^~,. snowed over, in  the still  hours  since .,~^*$§¶##
##¶§$*^~,.          the last supply train.          .,~^*$§¶##
##¶§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§¶##
##¶§$*^~,.     bell-like sounds of the blinding     .,~^*$§¶##
§$^~...... ground.  rifles attached  to our  wrist, ......~^$§
¶¶¶§$*^~,. sharing in  our  bloodstream.  my husky, .,~^*$§¶¶¶
###§$*^~,.      my warm-coffee-in-cold-snow...      .,~^*$§###
##¶§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§¶##
##¶§$*^~,. the  first  five  shots  you  can  spend .,~^*$§¶##
#¶¶§$*^~,. indiscriminately, they hurt  but deal no .,~^*$§¶¶#
##¶§$*^~,. long time  damage  to the  shooter.  the .,~^*$§¶##
##¶§$*^~,. next  five  you must  spend wisely, they .,~^*$§¶##
###§$*^~,. will  take days  to heal. the final five .,~^*$§###
###§$*^~,. you    must   not    spend    at    all. .,~^*$§###
##¶§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§¶##
#¶$$^~.... weeks earlier, in the weak  autumn dawn, ....~^$$¶#
¶§§$**^~,. in the  blue-gray  fog...  something  is .,~^**$§§¶
¶§$**~,,.. burning  with   a  deep  crimson  flame, ..,,~**$§¶
##¶§$*^~,.       untameable by water or wind.       .,~^*$§¶##
###§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§###
##¶§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§¶##
§*^,,.....                                          .....,,^*§
##¶§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§¶##
##¶§$*^~,.                                          .,~^*$§¶##