##@#&§*~.,                                          ,.~*§&#@##
#@#&§*~.,,                                          ,,.~*§&#@#
##@#&§*~.,                                          ,.~*§&#@##
#@#&§*~.,,                                          ,,.~*§&#@#
##@#&§*~.,                                          ,.~*§&#@##
#@#&§*~.,, 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.       ,.~*§&#@##
#@#&§*~.,,                                          ,,.~*§&#@#
##@#&§*~.,                                          ,.~*§&#@##
#@#&§*~.,,                                          ,,.~*§&#@#
##@#&§*~.,                                          ,.~*§&#@##
#@#&§*~.,,                                          ,,.~*§&#@#