###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
@@=*---,,, ,,,---*=@@
@**=-..,,, ,,,..-=**@
#@==***-., ,.-***==@#
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
@=*-.,,,,, ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING ,,,,,.-*=@
###@*=*-., ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME ,.-*=*@###
#@=-...,,, SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND ,,,...-=@#
###@*=*-., DOWN THE TRAIN, CHECKING BOLTS, OILING ,.-*=*@###
#@*****-., JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING ,.-*****@#
@@=-,,,,,, CIGARETTES. ,,,,,,-=@@
@*=-.,,,,, ,,,,,.-=*@
###@*=*-., ############################## ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
@==-.,,,,, WE WERE GOING SOUTH THROUGH FINLAND AT ,,,,,.-==@
@**.,,,,,, THE TIME, SLEEPING CLOSE TO THE ,,,,,,.**@
#@==----., FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS. ,.----==@#
@=*--..,,, TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW, ,,,..--*=@
###@*=*-., MOST OF WHICH WERE MECHANICS, OR ,.-*=*@###
#@===*-,,, LOADERS, WITH LARGE AND HAIRY HANDS ,,,-*===@#
###@*=*-., THAT COULD SWALLOW MY ENTIRE BODY. AND ,.-*=*@###
@@==*-..,, ME FEATURING AS THE CUTE AND ASOCIAL ,,..-*==@@
###@*=*-., RADIO OPERATOR, STATIONED IN THE BACK ,.-*=*@###
@@*=*---., OF THE KILOMETER-LONG TRAIN, WHICH ,.---*=*@@
####*=*-., SERVED ME GOOD AND WELL. ,.-*=*####
#@**.,,,,, ,,,,,.**@#
###@*=*-., AND THEN ONE NIGHT, THERE'S A MISSILE. ,.-*=*@###
#@@**=*-., WE WOULD ROUTINELY PICK UP NEW CARS AT ,.-*=**@@#
###@*=*-., THE TAIL, AND DROP SOME OFF, AS A WAY ,.-*=*@###
#*=****-., OF EARNING SOME EXTRA MONEY. BUT A ,.-****=*#
@@@@*=*-., MISSILE, AND APPEARING SILENTLY IN THE ,.-*=*@@@@
####@**-., MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT THAT? NOT ,.-**@####
###@*=*-., ENTIRELY... COMFORTABLE. ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
@***==*-., I CALL IT IN ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE. NOT ,.-*==***@
###@*=*-., MANY OTHERS AWAKE, THEY KNOW NOTHING ,.-*=*@###
#****=*-., ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS WELL. ,.-*=****#
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
#@@==-,,,, ############################## ,,,,-==@@#
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
#@**=-,,,, WHEN I FALL AWAKE IN THE AFTERNOON, ,,,,-=**@#
@**.,,,,,, KARL IS THERE, SMILING AT ME. "HEY ,,,,,,.**@
###@*=*-., BOY," HE SAYS, "WANNA HELP ME MAKE A ,.-*=*@###
####@=*-., CALL?" ,.-*=@####
#@@*==*-., ,.-*==*@@#
###@*=*-., AFTER HE'S BROUGHT ME COFFEE, I DIAL ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., THE FREQUENCY FROM HIS NOTEBOOK, AND ,.-*=*@###
@@@@*=*-., AFTER A WHILE THERE'S A REPLY IN ,.-*=*@@@@
#@=****-., PAN-SLAVIC. KARL LAUGHS AND MAKES A ,.-****=@#
###@*=*-., REPLY IN THE SAME LANGUAGE. EVEN THOUGH ,.-*=*@###
#@@===*-., WE BOTH HAVE HEADPHONES I CAN'T FOLLOW ,.-*===@@#
###@*=*-., AT ALL, BUT I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A ,.-*=*@###
#***=-.,,, FEW TIMES. ,,,.-=***#
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., I'M ALMOST SNOOZING AGAIN AT THE TIME ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., KARL PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., ME ON MY BACK. "ALLRIGHT BOY. I JUST ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., SOLD A MISSILE." HE PRACTICALLY BEAMS ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A ,.-*=*@###
#@@*=-.,,, DETOUR?" ,,,.-=*@@#
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
###@*=*-., ,.-*=*@###
#@***=*-., ,.-*=***@#
@@===---., ,.---===@@
#@**--,,,, ,,,,--**@#