.-~†%&##@#                                          #@##&%†~-.
..-~†††%&#                                          #&%†††~-..
.-~†%&###@                                          @###&%†~-.
.~†%&##@##                                          ##@##&%†~.
.-~†%&##@#                                          #@##&%†~-.
.-~†%&##@# 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.       #@##&%†~-.
.-~†%&##@#                                          #@##&%†~-.
.-~†%&####                                          ####&%†~-.
.-~†%&##@@                                          @@##&%†~-.
.-~†%&##@#                                          #@##&%†~-.
...-†%%##@                                          @##%%†-...