.,;§%@¶@##                                          ##@¶@%§;,.
..,;§%@¶@#                                          #@¶@%§;,..
...,;§%@¶@                                          @¶@%§;,...
....,;§%@¶                                          ¶@%§;,....
.....,;§%@                                          @%§;,.....
......,;§% 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.       @¶@%§;,...
....,;§%@¶                                          ¶@%§;,....
.....,;§%@                                          @%§;,.....
......,;§%                                          %§;,......
.......,;§                                          §;,.......
........,;                                          ;,........