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.