.&.&&&....                                          &.&.&.&..&
&&&..&...&                                          &&&&&&&.&&
..&.&&..&&                                          ......&&..
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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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