..^~**%§@#                                          #@§%**~^..
.^~**%§@##                                          ##@§%**~^.
..^~**%§@#                                          #@§%**~^..
...^~**%§@                                          @§%**~^...
....^~**%§                                          §%**~^....
...^~**%§@ 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.       #@§%**~^..
...^~**%§@                                          @§%**~^...
....^~**%§                                          §%**~^....
...^~**%§@                                          @§%**~^...
..^~**%§@#                                          #@§%**~^..
.^~**%§@##                                          ##@§%**~^.