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