..~:^$&#@# #@#&$^:~..
......~^$# #$^~......
.......~^& &^~.......
..~:^$&#@# #@#&$^:~..
..~:^$&#@# #@#&$^:~..
.......:^& 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, &^:::::~..
.....:^^$& in the blue-gray fog... something is &$^^:.....
..~:^$#@## burning with a deep crimson flame, ##@#$^:~..
......~^$# untameable by water or wind. #$^~......
..~:$&#@## ##@#&$:~..
..~:^$&@## ##@&$^:~..
..~:^$#@## ##@#$^:~..
..~:::^$&& &&$^:::~..
.......~^& &^~.......