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#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.# 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.       #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
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