£#$†^-:,,, ,,,:-^†$#£
#£#$†^-:,, ,,:-^†$#£#
##£#$†^-:, ,:-^†$#£##
#£#$†^-:,, ,,:-^†$#£#
£#$†^-:,,, ,,,:-^†$#£
#$†^-:,,,, orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ,,,,:-^†$#
$†^-:,,,,, along the rusty cargo cars like some ,,,,,:-^†$
†^-:,,,,,, 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?" ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,