,.«:§$@###                                          ###@$§:«.,
,.:§$@####                                          ####@$§:.,
,,,,,,.:$@                                          @$:.,,,,,,
,.«:§$@###                                          ###@$§:«.,
,,,,,«:§@@                                          @@§:«,,,,,
,.«::§§§@#  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?"                 #@§§«.,,,,
,.«:§$@###                                          ###@$§:«.,
,,,,.«§$@@                                          @@$§«.,,,,
,.«:§$@###                                          ###@$§:«.,
,,,,.««§§@                                          @§§««.,,,,
,.«:§$@###                                          ###@$§:«.,