####%*;»,¨ ¨,»;*%####
#%;;;;,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,;;;;%#
##%%;,,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,,;%%##
#%;»¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨»;%#
##**;,¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨,;**##
###%%*;»,¨ 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?" ¨¨¨¨¨¨»*%#
####%*;»,¨ ¨,»;*%####
###*;»»»,¨ ¨,»»»;*###
####%*;»,¨ ¨,»;*%####
####%*;»,¨ ¨,»;*%####
####%*;»,¨ ¨,»;*%####