#@*%/--,,,                                          ,,,--/%*@#
##@*%/--,,                                          ,,--/%*@##
###@*%/--,                                          ,--/%*@###
##@*%/--,,                                          ,,--/%*@##
#@*%/--,,,                                          ,,,--/%*@#
@*%/--,,,,  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?"                 ,,,,--/%*@
#@*%/--,,,                                          ,,,--/%*@#
##@*%/--,,                                          ,,--/%*@##
###@*%/--,                                          ,--/%*@###
##@*%/--,,                                          ,,--/%*@##
#@*%/--,,,                                          ,,,--/%*@#