,,^^^^%%@@                                          @@%%^^^^,,
,^~^*%@¶##                                          ##¶@%*^~^,
,,,~^^^*@¶                                          ¶@*^^^~,,,
,,,,,~~*@@                                          @@*~~,,,,,
,^~^*%@@@#                                          #@@@%*^~^,
,,,,,^^%%@ 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.       ##¶@%*^~^,
,,,^^^^*%@                                          @%*^^^^,,,
,^~^*%@¶##                                          ##¶@%*^~^,
,^~^*%@¶##                                          ##¶@%*^~^,
,^~^*%@¶##                                          ##¶@%*^~^,
,^^^^^^^%@                                          @%^^^^^^^,