#&&§:..... .....:§&&#
#&&:::.... ....:::&&#
####&§:«.. ..«:§&####
####&§:«.. ..«:§&####
####&§:«.. ..«:§&####
#&:....... 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?" ..«:§&####
#§««...... ......««§#
#####&§:.. ..:§&#####
#§:....... .......:§#
####&§:«.. ..«:§&####
###&:::«.. ..«:::&###