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