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.