..,=/=%### ###%=/=,..
...,=/=%## ##%=/=,...
....,=/=%# #%=/=,....
.....,=/=% %=/=,.....
......,=/= =/=,......
.......,=/ 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. ..........
........., ,.........
........,= =,........
.......,=/ /=,.......
......,=/= =/=,......
.....,=/=% %=/=,.....