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.