&,&,&,&&,&                                          &&,&,,&,,&
&,&,&,,&,&                                          ,&,&,&&,&,
&,&,&,&&,&                                          ,&,&,,&,&,
&,&,&,,&,&                                          ,&,&,&&,&,
&,&,&,&&,&                                          ,&,&,,&,&,
&,&,&,,&,& 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.       ,&,&,,&,&,
&,&,&,,&,&                                          ,&,&,&&,&,
&,&,&,&&,&                                          ,&,&,,&,&,
&,&,&,,&,&                                          ,&,&,&&,&,
&,&,&,&&,&                                          ,&,&,,&,&,
&,&,&,,&,&                                          ,&,&,&&,&,