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