......:-;% %;-:......
.......:-; ;-:.......
........:- -:........
.........: :.........
.......... ..........
.......... 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?" #££%;-:...
..:-;%££## ##££%;-:..
.:-;%££### ###££%;-:.
..:-;%££## ##££%;-:..
...:-;%££# #££%;-:...
....:-;%££ ££%;-:....