##@#@$:=~, ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, DOWN THE TRAIN, CHECKING BOLTS, OILING ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, CIGARETTES. ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, WE WERE GOING SOUTH THROUGH FINLAND AT ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, THE TIME, SLEEPING CLOSE TO THE ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS. ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, MOST OF WHICH WERE MECHANICS, OR ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, LOADERS, WITH LARGE AND HAIRY HANDS ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, THAT COULD SWALLOW MY ENTIRE BODY. AND ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ME FEATURING AS THE CUTE AND ASOCIAL ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, RADIO OPERATOR, STATIONED IN THE BACK ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, OF THE KILOMETER-LONG TRAIN, WHICH ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, SERVED ME GOOD AND WELL. ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, AND THEN ONE NIGHT, THERE'S A MISSILE. ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, WE WOULD ROUTINELY PICK UP NEW CARS AT ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, THE TAIL, AND DROP SOME OFF, AS A WAY ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, OF EARNING SOME EXTRA MONEY. BUT A ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, MISSILE, AND APPEARING SILENTLY IN THE ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT THAT? NOT ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ENTIRELY... COMFORTABLE. ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, I CALL IT IN ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE. NOT ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, MANY OTHERS AWAKE, THEY KNOW NOTHING ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS WELL. ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, WHEN I FALL AWAKE IN THE AFTERNOON, ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, KARL IS THERE, SMILING AT ME. "HEY ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, BOY," HE SAYS, "WANNA HELP ME MAKE A ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, CALL?" ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, AFTER HE'S BROUGHT ME COFFEE, I DIAL ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, THE FREQUENCY FROM HIS NOTEBOOK, AND ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, AFTER A WHILE THERE'S A REPLY IN ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, PAN-SLAVIC. KARL LAUGHS AND MAKES A ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, REPLY IN THE SAME LANGUAGE. EVEN THOUGH ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, WE BOTH HAVE HEADPHONES I CAN'T FOLLOW ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, AT ALL, BUT I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, FEW TIMES. ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, I'M ALMOST SNOOZING AGAIN AT THE TIME ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, KARL PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ME ON MY BACK. "ALLRIGHT BOY. I JUST ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, SOLD A MISSILE." HE PRACTICALLY BEAMS ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, DETOUR?" ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ,~=:$@#@##
#@#@$:=~,, ,,~=:$@#@#
##@#@$:=~, ,~=:$@#@##