#§****-...                                          ...-****§#
§**.......                                          .......**§
###§%**-..                                          ..-**%§###
###§%**-..                                          ..-**%§###
§%*****-..                                          ..-*****%§
###§%**-.. 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.       ..-**%§###
§§%*-.....                                          .....-*%§§
§§*-......                                          ......-*§§
###§%**-..                                          ..-**%§###
###§%**-..                                          ..-**%§###
#%**-.....                                          .....-**%#