§§§-^^....                                          ....^^-§§§
@§§*-^....                                          ....^-*§§@
##@§%§*-^.                                          .^-*§%§@##
@%%§*^^...                                          ...^^*§%%@
§%§-......                                          ......-§%§
#§%%*-^^..  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?"                 .^-*§§§%@@
##@§%§*-^.                                          .^-*§%§@##
@@@§%§*-^.                                          .^-*§%§@@@
##@§%§*-^.                                          .^-*§%§@##
@§§§§-....                                          ....-§§§§@
#§§-......                                          ......-§§#