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