###¤@†*^..                                          ..^*†@¤###
####¤@†*^.                                          .^*†@¤####
###¤@†*^..                                          ..^*†@¤###
##¤@†*^...                                          ...^*†@¤##
#¤@†*^....                                          ....^*†@¤#
##¤@†*^... 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.       ..^*†@¤###
##¤@†*^...                                          ...^*†@¤##
#¤@†*^....                                          ....^*†@¤#
##¤@†*^...                                          ...^*†@¤##
###¤@†*^..                                          ..^*†@¤###
####¤@†*^.                                          .^*†@¤####