#@@£$=/--. .--/=$£@@#
£=/-...... ......-/=£
#@@£$=/--. .--/=$£@@#
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##@£$=/--. .--/=$£@##
@@$//--... Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving ...--//$@@
#@@£$=/--. Along The Rusty Cargo Cars Like Some .--/=$£@@#
#@@£$=/--. Species Of Ferrophage Insect. Up And .--/=$£@@#
#@@£$=/--. Down The Train, Checking Bolts, Oiling .--/=$£@@#
£££=/--... 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 .--/=£@@##
@@$=--.... At Me, Teeth Filed Sharp. "Wanna Make A ....--=$@@
@£$$$=/--. Detour?" .--/=$$$£@
#@@£$=/--. .--/=$£@@#
@@£===/--. .--/===£@@
##@@£$/--. .--/$£@@##
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@$$/-..... .....-/$$@