###@%*/~.,                                          ,.~/*%@###
##@#%*/~.,                                          ,.~/*%#@##
#%*/.,,,,,                                          ,,,,,./*%#
@%*~..,,,,                                          ,,,,..~*%@
##@#%*/~.,                                          ,.~/*%#@##
##@#%*/~., 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.       .~/*%#@###
##@#%*/~.,                                          ,.~/*%#@##
@%%/.,,,,,                                          ,,,,,./%%@
##@#%*/~.,                                          ,.~/*%#@##
##@#%*/~.,                                          ,.~/*%#@##
##@#%*/~.,                                          ,.~/*%#@##