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