.~=:**&@##                                          ##@&**:=~.
....~=*&&@                                          @&&*=~....
.~=:**&&@#                                          #@&&**:=~.
.~=:**&@##                                          ##@&**:=~.
...~::**&@                                          @&**::~...
.~=:*&@### 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.       @***==....
....==:**&                                          &**:==....
.~=::***&@                                          @&***::=~.
.....=:**&                                          &**:=.....
....~:::*&                                          &*:::~....
...~::***&                                          &***::~...