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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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###§**^~^. .^~^**§###