,,,,:~/=*&                                          &*=/~:,,,,
,,,:~/=*&#                                          #&*=/~:,,,
,,:~/=*&##                                          ##&*=/~:,,
,:~/=*&###                                          ###&*=/~:,
,,:~/=*&##                                          ##&*=/~:,,
,,,:~/=*&# 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.       =/~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~/                                          /~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~                                          ~:,,,,,,,,
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