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