...,,//$##                                          ##$//,,...
.,~/$*####                                          ####*$/~,.
.....,/$*#                                          #*$/,.....
....~~$$*#                                          #*$$~~....
..,,,~$$##                                          ##$$~,,,..
.....,~/$# IN  THE  ENDLESS  WINTER   DAY,  ON  THE #$/~,.....
.,~/$*#### CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE  TRUDGE ALONG ####*$/~,.
.,~/$$*###   THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY  ###*$$/~,.
.,~/$*#### SNOWED  OVER,  IN THE  STILL HOURS SINCE ####*$/~,.
.,/$*#####          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          #####*$/,.
.,~/$*####                                          ####*$/~,.
.,~/$*####     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     ####*$/~,.
.,~/$*#### GROUND. RIFLES ATTACHED  TO  OUR  WRIST, ####*$/~,.
.,~/$*#### SHARING IN  OUR  BLOODSTREAM.  MY HUSKY, ####*$/~,.
...,~~$$##      MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW...      ##$$~~,...
.,~/$*####                                          ####*$/~,.
....~$$*## THE  FIRST  FIVE  SHOTS  YOU  CAN  SPEND ##*$$~....
.,~/$*#### INDISCRIMINATELY,  THEY HURT BUT DEAL NO ####*$/~,.
.....~~$$# LONG  TIME  DAMAGE  TO THE SHOOTER.  THE #$$~~.....
...,~$*### NEXT  FIVE YOU  MUST SPEND  WISELY, THEY ###*$~,...
.,~/$**### WILL TAKE  DAYS TO HEAL. THE FINAL  FIVE ###**$/~,.
.,~/$*#### YOU    MUST    NOT    SPEND    AT   ALL. ####*$/~,.
.,~/$*####                                          ####*$/~,.
.....~$$## WEEKS EARLIER,  IN THE WEAK AUTUMN DAWN, ##$$~.....
.....,,/$# IN THE  BLUE-GRAY  FOG...  SOMETHING  IS #$/,,.....
..,,~$$### BURNING   WITH  A  DEEP  CRIMSON  FLAME, ###$$~,,..
...,,~$*##       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ##*$~,,...
.,~/$*####                                          ####*$/~,.
...,~///*#                                          #*///~,...
..,,//*###                                          ###*//,,..
.,,,,,~$##                                          ##$~,,,,,.
..,,~~$$$#                                          #$$$~~,,..