..@@.@.@..                                          ...@@..@.@
@.@@....@.                                          @..@@@....
..@@@....@                                          .@.@.@@...
..@.@@....                                          .....@@@..
....@@@...                                          @....@.@@.
....@.@@.. 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.       ..@..@...@
.@@@..@...                                          @..@..@...
.@.@@..@..                                          .@..@..@..
...@@@..@.                                          ..@..@..@.
...@.@@..@                                          ...@..@..@
@....@@@..                                          ....@..@..