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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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=~,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,~=