@&%**~:,,,                                          ,,,:~**%&@
#@&%**~:,,                                          ,,:~**%&@#
##@&%**~:,                                          ,:~**%&@##
#@&%**~:,,                                          ,,:~**%&@#
@&%**~:,,,                                          ,,,:~**%&@
&%**~:,,,, 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.       ,:~**%&@##
#@&%**~:,,                                          ,,:~**%&@#
@&%**~:,,,                                          ,,,:~**%&@
&%**~:,,,,                                          ,,,,:~**%&
%**~:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:~**%
&%**~:,,,,                                          ,,,,:~**%&