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