#@#@$*=--.                                          .--=*$@#@#
@#$*=----.                                          .----=*$#@
#$=-......                                          ......-=$#
@@#@$*=--.                                          .--=*$@#@@
@#@@$*=--.                                          .--=*$@@#@
#@#@$*=--. IN  THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,   ON  THE .--=*$@#@#
##$$==---. CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS...  WE TRUDGE ALONG .---==$$##
@@#@$*=--.   THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY  .--=*$@#@@
@***--.... 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.       ....-**@#@
@##@$*=--.                                          .--=*$@##@
@@*==-....                                          ....-==*@@
###@$*=--.                                          .--=*$@###
@@#@$*=--.                                          .--=*$@#@@
#@#@$*=--.                                          .--=*$@#@#