,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,@,,,@,,
@@@@@@@@@@                                          ,@,,,@,,,@
@@@@@@@@@@                                          ,,,@,,,@,,
,@@@@@@@@@                                          ,@,,,@,,,,
,,@@@@@@@@                                          ,,,@,,,@@@
,,,@@@@@@@  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?"                 ,@@,,,,,,@
,,@@,,,,,,                                          ,,,,@@@@,,
@,,,,@@@@,                                          ,@@,,@@,,@
,,@@,,@@,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,,
@,,,,,,,,@                                          @@@@@@@@@@
,,@@@@@@,,                                          @@@@@@@@@@