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