.~-*%*@###                                          ###@*%*-~.
..~-*%*@##                                          ##@*%*-~..
...~-*%*@#                                          #@*%*-~...
....~-*%*@                                          @*%*-~....
.....~-*%*                                          *%*-~.....
....~-*%*@ 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.       #@*%*-~...
....~-*%*@                                          @*%*-~....
.....~-*%*                                          *%*-~.....
....~-*%*@                                          @*%*-~....
...~-*%*@#                                          #@*%*-~...
..~-*%*@##                                          ##@*%*-~..