###&%*^=.,                                          ,.=^*%&###
¶&&*==,,,,                                          ,,,,==*&&¶
¶%%%^==.,,                                          ,,.==^%%%¶
#&%%^.,,,,                                          ,,,,.^%%&#
##¶&%*^=.,                                          ,.=^*%&¶##
##¶&%*^=., 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.       ,.=^*%&¶##
##¶&%*^=.,                                          ,.=^*%&¶##
###¶&%*^.,                                          ,.^*%&¶###
¶&&%^=,,,,                                          ,,,,=^%&&¶
&%*^.,,,,,                                          ,,,,,.^*%&
¶&*=..,,,,                                          ,,,,..=*&¶