@¤*%/»:,,, ,,,:»/%*¤@
#@¤*%/»:,, ,,:»/%*¤@#
##@¤*%/»:, ,:»/%*¤@##
#@¤*%/»:,, ,,:»/%*¤@#
@¤*%/»:,,, ,,,:»/%*¤@
¤*%/»:,,,, 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?" ,,,,:»/%*¤
*%/»:,,,,, ,,,,,:»/%*
%/»:,,,,,, ,,,,,,:»/%
/»:,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,:»/
»:,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,:»
:,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,: