,,,,,~-=†$ $†=-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-=† †=-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-= =-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-= ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME =-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-=† SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND †=-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-=†$ 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 $†=-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-=† KARL PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS †=-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-= ME ON MY BACK. "ALLRIGHT BOY. I JUST =-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- SOLD A MISSILE." HE PRACTICALLY BEAMS -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- DETOUR?" -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-= =-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-=† †=-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-=†$ $†=-~,,,,,
,,,,~-=†$§ §$†=-~,,,,
,,,~-=†$§@ @§$†=-~,,,