.&&...&.&. .&&.......
.&.&..&&&& .&.&......
.&&&&.&... &&&&&.....
.&...&&&.. .....&....
.&&..&..&. &....&&...
.&.&.&&.&& 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. &&.&.&....
.&..&&.&.& ..&&&&&...
.&&.&.&&&& &.&....&..
.&.&&&&... .&&&...&&.
.&&&...&.. &&..&..&.&
&&..&..&&. ..&.&&.&&&