##¶#@§†~~. .~~†§@#¶##
#¶#@§†~~.. ..~~†§@#¶#
##¶#@§†~~. .~~†§@#¶##
#¶#@§†~~.. ..~~†§@#¶#
##¶#@§†~~. .~~†§@#¶##
#¶#@§†~~.. 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?" ..~~†§@#¶#
##¶#@§†~~. .~~†§@#¶##
#¶#@§†~~.. ..~~†§@#¶#
##¶#@§†~~. .~~†§@#¶##
#¶#@§†~~.. ..~~†§@#¶#
##¶#@§†~~. .~~†§@#¶##