..,~/%££@#                                          #@££%/~,..
...,~/%££@                                          @££%/~,...
....,~/%££                                          ££%/~,....
.....,~/%£                                          £%/~,.....
......,~/%                                          %/~,......
.......,~/ 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.       %/~,......
.....,~/%£                                          £%/~,.....
....,~/%££                                          ££%/~,....
...,~/%££@                                          @££%/~,...
..,~/%££@#                                          #@££%/~,..
.,~/%££@##                                          ##@££%/~,.