##@@$\~,.. ..,~\$@@##
###@@$\~,. .,~\$@@###
##@@$\~,.. ..,~\$@@##
#@@$\~,... ...,~\$@@#
@@$\~,.... ....,~\$@@
@$\~,..... 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, ...,~\$@@#
@@$\~,.... UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND. ....,~\$@@
@$\~,..... .....,~\$@
$\~,...... ......,~\$
\~,....... .......,~\
~,........ ........,~
,......... .........,