.....&.&.. .......&.&
....&&&&.. ......&&&&
...&...&.. .....&...&
..&&..&&.. ....&&..&&
.&.&.&.&.. ...&.&.&.&
&&&&&&&&.& 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. &&&.&...&.
.&&..&..&. ..&&&..&&.
&.&.&&.&&. .&..&.&.&.
&&&&.&&.&& &&.&&&&&&&
...&&.&&.. .&&.......
..&.&&.&.& &.&.......