.....^~†*§                                          §*†~^.....
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.......^~†                                          †~^.......
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.......^~†                                          †~^.......
......^~†* 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.       #@§*†~^...
....^~†*§@                                          @§*†~^....
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