@#@&*:-:,, ,,:-:*&@#@
#@#@&*:-:, ,:-:*&@#@#
@#@&*:-:,, ,,:-:*&@#@
#@&*:-:,,, ,,,:-:*&@#
@&*:-:,,,, ,,,,:-:*&@
&*:-:,,,,, 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?" ,,,,,:-:*&
*:-:,,,,,, ,,,,,,:-:*
:-:,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,:-:
-:,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,:-
:,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,:
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,