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####%^;~:. 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. .:~;^%####
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####%^;~:. BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING .:~;^%####
#%;;~~:... GROUND. RIFLES ATTACHED TO OUR WRIST, ...:~~;;%#
####%^;~:. SHARING IN OUR BLOODSTREAM. MY HUSKY, .:~;^%####
####%^;~:. MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW... .:~;^%####
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###^;:.... 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. .:~;^%####
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####%^;~:. 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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