...=;%$#££                                          ££#$%;=...
.-=;%$#£@#                                          #@£#$%;=-.
.-=;%$#£@@                                          @@£#$%;=-.
.-=;%$#£@#                                          #@£#$%;=-.
.-=;%#£@##                                          ##@£#%;=-.
.-=;%$#£@@  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  @@£#$%;=-.
.-=;%$#£@# along the rusty  cargo  cars  like  some #@£#$%;=-.
..--=%%#££ 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?"                 #%=.......
.-=;;%$$$£                                          £$$$%;;=-.
.-=;;;%##£                                          £##%;;;=-.
.-=;%$$#£@                                          @£#$$%;=-.
.-=;%$#£@@                                          @@£#$%;=-.
.-=;%$###£                                          £###$%;=-.