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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. .,===£@£##
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##£@£===,. 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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