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