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