##££@$:~,.                                          .,~:$@££##
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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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