£^\~...... ......~\^£
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@*\»...... ......»\*@
£****^\»~. .~»\^****£
£^\\»..... .....»\\^£
@@£**^\»~. 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?" ....~\^*££
##@£*^\»~. .~»\^*£@##
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