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