##¶&%*~~.. ..~~*%&¶##
###¶&%*~~. .~~*%&¶###
##¶&%*~~.. ..~~*%&¶##
#¶&%*~~... ...~~*%&¶#
##¶&%*~~.. ..~~*%&¶##
###¶&%*~~. 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?" ...~~*%&¶#
##¶&%*~~.. ..~~*%&¶##
###¶&%*~~. .~~*%&¶###
##¶&%*~~.. ..~~*%&¶##
#¶&%*~~... ...~~*%&¶#
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