.~=/§%£@@# #@@£%§/=~.
..~=/§%£@@ @@£%§/=~..
...~=/§%£@ @£%§/=~...
....~=/§%£ £%§/=~....
.....~=/§% %§/=~.....
......~=/§ 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. /=~.......
......~=/§ §/=~......
.....~=/§% %§/=~.....
....~=/§%£ £%§/=~....
...~=/§%£@ @£%§/=~...
..~=/§%£@@ @@£%§/=~..