.-~**$&@@# #@@&$**~-.
.-~**$&@@# #@@&$**~-.
.-~*$&@@## ##@@&$*~-.
.-~*$&@@## ##@@&$*~-.
....-~**$& &$**~-....
....-**&@@ 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 &***~~-...
.-~**$&@@# LONG TIME DAMAGE TO THE SHOOTER. THE #@@&$**~-.
.-~**$&@@# NEXT FIVE YOU MUST SPEND WISELY, THEY #@@&$**~-.
.-~**$&@@# WILL TAKE DAYS TO HEAL. THE FINAL FIVE #@@&$**~-.
.-~**$&@@# YOU MUST NOT SPEND AT ALL. #@@&$**~-.
.-~~~~~*$@ @$*~~~~~-.
.-~~~*$$@@ WEEKS EARLIER, IN THE WEAK AUTUMN DAWN, @@$$*~~~-.
.-~**$&@@# IN THE BLUE-GRAY FOG... SOMETHING IS #@@&$**~-.
.-~**$&@## BURNING WITH A DEEP CRIMSON FLAME, ##@&$**~-.
.....-*$&& UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND. &&$*-.....
.....-*$&& &&$*-.....
....--***& &***--....
.-~**$&@@# #@@&$**~-.
.-~**$&@@# #@@&$**~-.
.....--*$@ @$*--.....