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