....,~*%%@ @%%*~,....
...,~*%%@@ @@%%*~,...
..,~*%%@@# #@@%%*~,..
.,~*%%@@## ##@@%%*~,.
..,~*%%@@# #@@%%*~,..
...,~*%%@@ 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. @%%*~,....
.....,~*%% %%*~,.....
......,~*% %*~,......
.......,~* *~,.......
........,~ ~,........
........., ,.........