@@#¤$%:~^, ,^~:%$¤#@@
#@#¤$%:~^, ,^~:%$¤#@#
¤¤¤%~^^,,, ,,,^^~%¤¤¤
@##¤$%:~^, ,^~:%$¤##@
#$%::^,,,, ,,,,^::%$#
#¤%:::^,,, 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 ,,,^~~::%¤
#@#¤$%:~^, sold a missile." he practically beams ,^~:%$¤#@#
¤$%%~^,,,, at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ,,,,^~%%$¤
#$$$:^^^,, detour?" ,,^^^:$$$#
##¤%:~~^,, ,,^~~:%¤##
##@#¤$:~^, ,^~:$¤#@##
¤¤$%%%:~^, ,^~:%%%$¤¤
@@#¤$%:~^, ,^~:%$¤#@@
#@#¤$%:~^, ,^~:%$¤#@#