@@¤¤¤*:~-. .-~:*¤¤¤@@
##@¤¤*:~-. .-~:*¤¤@##
##@¤¤*:~-. .-~:*¤¤@##
#@¤¤**:~-. .-~:**¤¤@#
¤¤**:-.... ....-:**¤¤
¤¤¤¤¤*:~-. 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. .-~:*¤¤@##
@¤:~...... ......~:¤@
@¤:~...... ......~:¤@
@@¤*:~~--. .--~~:*¤@@
¤¤¤¤**:~-. .-~:**¤¤¤¤
¤¤¤¤::-... ...-::¤¤¤¤