&&.&&&.&..                                          &.&..&....
&.&&..&&&.                                          .&&&.&&...
&&&.&.&..&                                          &&..&&.&..
&..&&&&&.&                                          ..&.&.&&&.
&&.&....&&                                          &.&&&&&..&
..&&&...&. 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.       .&.&.&&...
.&&&&.....                                          &&&&&&.&..
.&...&....                                          ......&&&.
.&&..&&...                                          &.....&..&
&&.&.&.&..                                          &&....&&.&
..&&&&&&&.                                          &.&...&.&&