,,,,~;§%&@ @&%§;~,,,,
,,,~;§%&@@ @@&%§;~,,,
,,~;§%&@@# #@@&%§;~,,
,,,~;§%&@@ @@&%§;~,,,
,,,,~;§%&@ @&%§;~,,,,
,,,,,~;§%& 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?" ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~; ;~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~;§ §;~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~;§% %§;~,,,,,,