####*%†~~,                                          ,~~†%*####
###*%†~~,,                                          ,,~~†%*###
##*%†~~,,,                                          ,,,~~†%*##
#*%†~~,,,,                                          ,,,,~~†%*#
*%†~~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~~†%*
%†~~,,,,,, 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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