,,,,,~~/%# #%/~~,,,,,
,,,,~~/%## ##%/~~,,,,
,~~/*%&#@@ @@#&%*/~~,
,~~~~~**&@ @&**~~~~~,
,,,,,~~/%# #%/~~,,,,,
,~~/%&#@## 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. &&&&%*/~~,
,,,,~~//*& &*//~~,,,,
,~~~/**%#@ @#%**/~~~,
,~~/*%&#@# #@#&%*/~~,
,~~/*%&#@# #@#&%*/~~,
,~~///**&@ @&**///~~,