......~»^%                                          %^»~......
.....~»^%%                                          %%^»~.....
....~»^%%§                                          §%%^»~....
...~»^%%§@                                          @§%%^»~...
..~»^%%§@@                                          @@§%%^»~..
.~»^%%§@@# 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.       §%%^»~....
...~»^%%§@                                          @§%%^»~...
..~»^%%§@@                                          @@§%%^»~..
.~»^%%§@@#                                          #@@§%%^»~.
..~»^%%§@@                                          @@§%%^»~..
...~»^%%§@                                          @§%%^»~...