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