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####£%*»-¨ ¨-»*%£####
###£%*»-¨¨ ¨¨-»*%£###
##£%*»-¨¨¨ 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?" ¨-»*%£####
###£%*»-¨¨ ¨¨-»*%£###
##£%*»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»*%£##
###£%*»-¨¨ ¨¨-»*%£###
####£%*»-¨ ¨-»*%£####
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