,,,,,,,-=: :=-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,-=:% %:=-,,,,,,
,,,,,-=:%& &%:=-,,,,,
,,,,-=:% #&%:=-,,,,
,,,-=:%# ##&%:=-,,,
,,-=:%## 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?" =-,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,-=: :=-,,,,,,,
,,,,,,-=:% %:=-,,,,,,
,,,,,-=:%& &%:=-,,,,,
,,,,-=:% #&%:=-,,,,
,,,-=:%# ##&%:=-,,,