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§$$*^,.... ....,^*$$§
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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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