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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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