.^-=^*####                                          ####*^=-^.
.^-=^*####                                          ####*^=-^.
...---^*##                                          ##*^---...
.^-=^*####                                          ####*^=-^.
.....^^=*#                                          #*=^^.....
.^-=^*#### 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.       #**^-.....
.^-=^**###                                          ###**^=-^.
.^-=^*####                                          ####*^=-^.
.^-====*##                                          ##*====-^.
.....^^=*#                                          #*=^^.....
.^-=^*####                                          ####*^=-^.