,,-»:=%### ###%=:»-,,
,,,-»:=%## ##%=:»-,,,
,,,,-»:=%# #%=:»-,,,,
,,,,,-»:=% %=:»-,,,,,
,,,,,,-»:= =:»-,,,,,,
,,,,,,,-»: 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. »-,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,- -,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,- -,,,,,,,,,