.,==%§¤###                                          ###¤§%==,.
..,==%§¤##                                          ##¤§%==,..
...,==%§¤#                                          #¤§%==,...
....,==%§¤                                          ¤§%==,....
.....,==%§                                          §%==,.....
......,==% 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.       #¤§%==,...
..,==%§¤##                                          ##¤§%==,..
.,==%§¤###                                          ###¤§%==,.
..,==%§¤##                                          ##¤§%==,..
...,==%§¤#                                          #¤§%==,...
....,==%§¤                                          ¤§%==,....