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