#¤^^«.,,,, ,,,,.«^^¤#
##¤^^\\«., ,.«\\^^¤##
##@#¤^\«., ,.«\^¤#@##
#@##¤^\«., ,.«\^¤##@#
#@##¤^\«., ,.«\^¤##@#
#^«.,,,,,, 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?" ,.«\^¤#@##
#@##¤^\«., ,.«\^¤##@#
##¤^\\.,,, ,,,.\\^¤##
#@##¤^\«., ,.«\^¤##@#
#^\\««««., ,.««««\\^#
@###¤^\«., ,.«\^¤###@