.....,,=*@                                          @*=,,.....
..,===**@@                                          @@**===,..
.,==†*@@##                                          ##@@*†==,.
.,==†*@@##                                          ##@@*†==,.
.,==†*@@##                                          ##@@*†==,.
...,==*@@# 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.       ###@@*==,.
.,==†*@@##                                          ##@@*†==,.
.....,==†@                                          @†==,.....
.,==†*@@##                                          ##@@*†==,.
...,,==†@#                                          #@†==,,...
....,,=†*@                                          @*†=,,....