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.#....###.                                          ..###.####
##...#..#. 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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