,,^-;$%&£# #£&%$;-^,,
,^-;$%&£## ##£&%$;-^,
,,^-;$%&£# #£&%$;-^,,
,,,^-;$%&£ £&%$;-^,,,
,,,,^-;$%& &%$;-^,,,,
,,,,,^-;$% orange-clad train-climber crew, moving %$;-^,,,,,
,,,,,,^-;$ 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?" %$;-^,,,,,
,,,,,,^-;$ $;-^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^-; ;-^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^- -^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^ ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,