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.......... 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. ..........
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