....^=*$&§ §&$*=^....
...^=*$&§@ @§&$*=^...
..^=*$&§@# #@§&$*=^..
.^=*$&§@## ##@§&$*=^.
..^=*$&§@# #@§&$*=^..
...^=*$&§@ ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING @§&$*=^...
....^=*$&§ ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME §&$*=^....
.....^=*$& SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND &$*=^.....
......^=*$ 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 $*=^......
.......^=* SOLD A MISSILE." HE PRACTICALLY BEAMS *=^.......
........^= AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A =^........
.........^ DETOUR?" ^.........
........^= =^........
.......^=* *=^.......
......^=*$ $*=^......
.....^=*$& &$*=^.....
....^=*$&§ §&$*=^....