....:=\§§#                                          #§§\=:....
.:=\\\$§##                                          ##§$\\\=:.
...:==$§§&                                          &§§$==:...
..:=\\\§§#                                          #§§\\\=:..
.:=\$§&###                                          ###&§$\=:.
.:=\$§&### 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, ###&§$\=:.
.....:=\§#       untameable by water or wind.       #§\=:.....
.:=\$§&###                                          ###&§$\=:.
.:=\$§&###                                          ###&§$\=:.
.....::=$&                                          &$=::.....
...:=\§&&&                                          &&&§\=:...
.:=\$§§§&#                                          #&§§§$\=:.