.-~\*%@### ###@%*\~-.
..-~\*%@## ##@%*\~-..
...-~\*%@# #@%*\~-...
....-~\*%@ @%*\~-....
.....-~\*% %*\~-.....
......-~\* 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?" ##@%*\~-..
.-~\*%@### ###@%*\~-.
..-~\*%@## ##@%*\~-..
...-~\*%@# #@%*\~-...
....-~\*%@ @%*\~-....
.....-~\*% %*\~-.....