,.~/§$#### ####$§/~.,
,~/§$##### #####$§/~,
,,,,,./§## ##§/.,,,,,
,.~/§$#### ####$§/~.,
,.~//§$$## ##$$§//~.,
,.~/§$#### orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ####$§/~.,
,./§$##### along the rusty cargo cars like some #####$§/.,
,.~/§$#### species of ferrophage insect. up and ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### down the train, checking bolts, oiling ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### joints, drinking coffee, smoking ####$§/~.,
,,,.~§$### cigarettes. ###$§~.,,,
,.~/§$#### ####$§/~.,
,.~§$##### ############################## #####$§~.,
,...~~/§$# #$§/~~...,
,.~/§$#### we were going south through finland at ####$§/~.,
,,,,,./§$# the time, sleeping close to the #$§/.,,,,,
,,,,,,./$# furnace, watching the aurora borealis. #$/.,,,,,,
,,,,./$$## twenty-something members of the crew, ##$$/.,,,,
,.~/§$#### most of which were mechanics, or ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### loaders, with large and hairy hands ####$§/~.,
,.~/§##### 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 #§~~..,,,,
,.~/§$#### after a while there's a reply in ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### pan-slavic. karl laughs and makes a ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### reply in the same language. even though ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### we both have headphones i can't follow ####$§/~.,
,.~/§§$$$# at all, but i hear the word "missile" a #$$$§§/~.,
,.~/§$#### few times. ####$§/~.,
,.~/§##### #####§/~.,
,.~/§$#### i'm almost snoozing again at the time ####$§/~.,
.~/§$##### karl puts down the headphones and slaps #####$§/~.
,,,~//$$## me on my back. "allright boy. i just ##$$//~,,,
,.~/§$#### sold a missile." he practically beams ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### detour?" ####$§/~.,
,.~/§##### #####§/~.,
,,,,,./$## ##$/.,,,,,
,,,,~~/§§# #§§/~~,,,,
,.~/§$#### ####$§/~.,
,.~/§$#### ####$§/~.,