#@##%^*~^,                                          ,^~*^%##@#
#@##%^*~^,                                          ,^~*^%##@#
#@##%^*~^,                                          ,^~*^%##@#
#%*~~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~~*%#
#%^^^*~,,,                                          ,,,~*^^^%#
@#%^**^,,, 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.       ,^~*^%%%#@
#@##%^*~^,                                          ,^~*^%##@#
@@##%^*~^,                                          ,^~*^%##@@
#%%**~,,,,                                          ,,,,~**%%#
@###%^*~^,                                          ,^~*^%###@
#@##%^*~^,                                          ,^~*^%##@#