##¶@%=†«~.                                          .~«†=%@¶##
¶¶%==††«~.                                          .~«††==%¶¶
@=«~......                                          ......~«=@
¶@@@%=†«~.                                          .~«†=%@@@¶
¶@@@%=†«~.                                          .~«†=%@@@¶
#@¶@%=†«~.  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?"                 ......«=%@
##@¶@=†«~.                                          .~«†=@¶@##
@%††«««~..                                          ..~«««††%@
#@¶@%=†«~.                                          .~«†=%@¶@#
@==«~.....                                          .....~«==@
#@¶@%=†«~.                                          .~«†=%@¶@#