.......... ..........
.........^ ^.........
........^~ ~^........
.......^~* *~^.......
......^~** **~^......
.....^~**# 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?" ..........
.......... ..........
.........^ ^.........
........^~ ~^........
.......^~* *~^.......
......^~** **~^......