..&...&&.& .&&..&&..&
.&&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
..&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
.&&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
..&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
.&&..&.&.& 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?" &.&.&.&.&&
..&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
.&&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
..&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
.&&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
..&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&