$%:«:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:«:%$
%:«:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:«:%
:«:,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,:«:
%:«:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:«:%
$%:«:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:«:%$
§$%:«:,,,, IN  THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON   THE ,,,,:«:%$§
@§$%:«:,,, CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS...  WE TRUDGE ALONG ,,,:«:%$§@
#@§$%:«:,,  THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY   ,,:«:%$§@#
##@§$%:«:, SNOWED OVER, IN THE  STILL  HOURS  SINCE ,:«:%$§@##
#@§$%:«:,,          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          ,,:«:%$§@#
@§$%:«:,,,                                          ,,,:«:%$§@
§$%:«:,,,,     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     ,,,,:«:%$§
$%:«:,,,,, GROUND. RIFLES  ATTACHED  TO  OUR WRIST, ,,,,,:«:%$
%:«:,,,,,, 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.       ,,,,,,,:«:
%:«:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:«:%
$%:«:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:«:%$
§$%:«:,,,,                                          ,,,,:«:%$§
@§$%:«:,,,                                          ,,,:«:%$§@
#@§$%:«:,,                                          ,,:«:%$§@#