###¤%^:~:, ,:~:^%¤###
##¤%^:~:,, ,,:~:^%¤##
###¤%^:~:, ,:~:^%¤###
##¤%^:~:,, ,,:~:^%¤##
###¤%^:~:, ,:~:^%¤###
##¤%^:~:,, 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. ,:~:^%¤###
##¤%^:~:,, ,,:~:^%¤##
###¤%^:~:, ,:~:^%¤###
##¤%^:~:,, ,,:~:^%¤##
###¤%^:~:, ,:~:^%¤###
##¤%^:~:,, ,,:~:^%¤##