,,-:$%¤@## ##@¤%$:-,,
,,,,,,,:%¤ ¤%:,,,,,,,
,,-:$%¤#@@ @@#¤%$:-,,
,,,,,:%%#@ @#%%:,,,,,
,,-:$%¤#@# #@#¤%$:-,,
,,-:$%¤### orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ###¤%$:-,,
,,,,,,-$¤# along the rusty cargo cars like some #¤$-,,,,,,
,,-:$%¤#@# species of ferrophage insect. up and #@#¤%$:-,,
,,-:$%¤#@# down the train, checking bolts, oiling #@#¤%$:-,,
,,,,,,,:%# 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?" ¤%:---,,,,
,,-:$%¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤%$:-,,
,,,,,,,-$¤ ¤$-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:%¤ ¤%:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,-$%¤ ¤%$-,,,,,,
,,-:$%¤#@# #@#¤%$:-,,