,,,,,-«§##                                          ##§«-,,,,,
,-«=§@####                                          ####@§=«-,
,-«=§@####                                          ####@§=«-,
,-«=§@####                                          ####@§=«-,
,-«=§§@###                                          ###@§§=«-,
,-«=§@####  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?"                 ####@§=«-,
,-«=§@####                                          ####@§=«-,
,,,,,-«§##                                          ##§«-,,,,,
,,,,-=§###                                          ###§=-,,,,
,-«=§@####                                          ####@§=«-,
,,,,,,-=@#                                          #@=-,,,,,,