##$†=-:...                                          ...:-=†$##
#$†=-:....                                          ....:-=†$#
$†=-:.....                                          .....:-=†$
†=-:......                                          ......:-=†
$†=-:.....                                          .....:-=†$
#$†=-:.... IN  THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON   THE ....:-=†$#
##$†=-:... CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE  TRUDGE ALONG ...:-=†$##
###$†=-:..   THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY  ..:-=†$###
####$†=-:. SNOWED  OVER, IN THE STILL  HOURS  SINCE .:-=†$####
###$†=-:..          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          ..:-=†$###
##$†=-:...                                          ...:-=†$##
#$†=-:....     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     ....:-=†$#
$†=-:..... GROUND.  RIFLES ATTACHED  TO OUR  WRIST, .....:-=†$
†=-:...... 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, ......:-=†
$†=-:..... IN  THE BLUE-GRAY  FOG...  SOMETHING  IS .....:-=†$
#$†=-:.... BURNING   WITH  A  DEEP  CRIMSON  FLAME, ....:-=†$#
##$†=-:...       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ...:-=†$##
###$†=-:..                                          ..:-=†$###
####$†=-:.                                          .:-=†$####
###$†=-:..                                          ..:-=†$###
##$†=-:...                                          ...:-=†$##
#$†=-:....                                          ....:-=†$#