@@%/=,.... ....,=/%@@
###@%%/=,. .,=/%%@###
@%/,...... ......,/%@
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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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#%%%==,,.. ..,,==%%%#