......^~*$ $*~^......
.......^~* *~^.......
........^~ ~^........
.......^~* *~^.......
......^~*$ $*~^......
.....^~*$& 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 $*~^......
.......^~* sold a missile." he practically beams *~^.......
........^~ at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ~^........
.......^~* detour?" *~^.......
......^~*$ $*~^......
.....^~*$& &$*~^.....
....^~*$ #&$*~^....
...^~*$# ##&$*~^...
..^~*$## ###&$*~^..