###¤£^/~:. .:~/^£¤###
#¤£/:..... .....:/£¤#
###¤£^/~:. .:~/^£¤###
###¤£^/~:. .:~/^£¤###
#¤^/~:.... ....:~/^¤#
###¤£^/~:. 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?" .:~/^£¤###
#¤£^//:... ...://^£¤#
#£/~~::::. .::::~~/£#
###¤£^/~:. .:~/^£¤###
#¤£^^^/~:. .:~/^^^£¤#
###¤£^/~:. .:~/^£¤###