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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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