##@#@=†=.,                                          ,.=†=@#@##
##@#@=†=.,                                          ,.=†=@#@##
@@†=====.,                                          ,.=====†@@
@@@@==†=.,                                          ,.=†==@@@@
@@@@†=..,,                                          ,,..=†@@@@
###@@=†=., 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.       ,.=†=@#@##
##@#@=†=.,                                          ,.=†=@#@##
#===...,,,                                          ,,,...===#
@##==.,,,,                                          ,,,,.==##@
@@@@†..,,,                                          ,,,..†@@@@
@@@†=.,,,,                                          ,,,,.=†@@@