,.~/%§@### ###@§%/~.,
,.~~///%§@ @§%///~~.,
,.~/%§@### ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%§@### ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%§@### ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%@#### 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?" ###@§%/~.,
,.~////%§@ @§%////~.,
,.~/%§@### ###@§%/~.,
,,,,..~%@@ @@%~..,,,,
,.~/%§@### ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%§@### ###@§%/~.,