@@¤¤%*^~:. .:~^*%¤¤@@
@@@¤%*^~:. .:~^*%¤@@@
#@@¤%*^~:. .:~^*%¤@@#
@¤¤%%*^~:. .:~^*%%¤¤@
¤¤%*~~.... ....~~*%¤¤
@@@¤%*^~:. 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. .:~^**%%¤@
#@@¤%*^~:. .:~^*%¤@@#
##@¤%*^~:. .:~^*%¤@##
##@¤%*^~:. .:~^*%¤@##
@%^^:::... ...:::^^%@
#@@¤%*^~:. .:~^*%¤@@#