......,==% %==,......
.......,== ==,.......
........,= =,........
........., ,.........
........,= =,........
.......,== 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. @@£%%==,..
.,==%%£@@# #@@£%%==,.
..,==%%£@@ @@£%%==,..
...,==%%£@ @£%%==,...
....,==%%£ £%%==,....
.....,==%% %%==,.....