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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. .&&.&&.&.&
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.&.&&.&.&. BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING .&&.&&.&.&
.&..&.&.&. GROUND. RIFLES ATTACHED TO OUR WRIST, ..&..&.&.&
.&.&&.&.&. SHARING IN OUR BLOODSTREAM. MY HUSKY, .&&.&&.&.&
.&..&.&.&. MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW... ..&..&.&.&
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.&..&.&.&. 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. .&&.&&.&.&
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.&.&&.&.&. 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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