##@#%§=~,.                                          .,~=§%#@##
#@@#%§=~,.                                          .,~=§%#@@#
##%=~~~~,.                                          .,~~~~=%##
###@%§=~,.                                          .,~=§%@###
##@#%§=~,.                                          .,~=§%#@##
@@#§==~,.. 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.       .,~=§%#@##
@%==,.....                                          .....,==%@
#%§~,.....                                          .....,~§%#
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