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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. .##.#..#..
.#.####...                                          ##.###.##.
.###...#.. 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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