&&&..&.... ..........
.&.....&&& &&&&&&&&&.
...&&&..&& &&&&&&&&..
&&..&....& &&&&&&&..&
&.....&&.. &&&&&&....
..&&&....& 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. ........&&
...&&..&&& .&&&&&&...
&&......&& ..&&&&..&&
&..&&&&..& &..&&....&
....&&.... ......&&..
&&&....&&. &&&&&....&