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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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&@@@%~,,,,                                          ,,,,~%@@@&
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