@¤*†~~.... ....~~†*¤@
#@¤*†~~... ...~~†*¤@#
##@¤*†~~.. ..~~†*¤@##
###@¤*†~~. .~~†*¤@###
##@¤*†~~.. ..~~†*¤@##
#@¤*†~~... 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. ....~~†*¤@
¤*†~~..... .....~~†*¤
*†~~...... ......~~†*
¤*†~~..... .....~~†*¤
@¤*†~~.... ....~~†*¤@
#@¤*†~~... ...~~†*¤@#