###..#..##                                          ...###.###
..#.##.#.#                                          ..#..##...
.###.#####                                          .##.#.#...
#..##....#                                          #.#####...
#.#.#...##                                          ##....#..#
#####..#.# 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.       ..#.##.#.#
#...##.##.                                          .###.####.
#..#.##.#.                                          #..##...##
#.###.###.                                          #.#.#..#..
##..##..#.                                          #####.##.#
.#.#.#.###                                          ....##.##.