##@#@*=»:. .:»=*@#@##
####@*=»:. .:»=*@####
@@@#@*=»:. .:»=*@#@@@
#@*»»:.... ....:»»*@#
###@#*=»:. .:»=*#@###
##@#@*=»:. 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. .:»=*@#@##
##@#@*=»:. .:»=*@#@##
###@#@=»:. .:»=@#@###
###@#@*=»: :»=*@#@###
####@*=»:. .:»=*@####
@##@@*=»:. .:»=*@@##@