.,~*^&#@##                                          ##@#&^*~,.
...,,*^&@#                                          #@&^*,,...
....,*^###                                          ###^*,....
.,~*^&&&#@                                          @#&&&^*~,.
.,~*^&#@##                                          ##@#&^*~,.
.,~*^&#@## 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.       ##@#&^*~,.
....,*^&&@                                          @&&^*,....
.,~****&##                                          ##&****~,.
....,*^#@#                                          #@#^*,....
.,~*^&#@##                                          ##@#&^*~,.
...,~^^&&@                                          @&&^^~,...