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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. .&.&.&.&.&
.&..&.&.&. .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&&.&.&. 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. .&.&.&.&.&
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