###&*==~~, ,~~==*&###
##&*==~~,, ,,~~==*&##
#&*==~~,,, ,,,~~==*&#
##&*==~~,, ,,~~==*&##
###&*==~~, ,~~==*&###
##&*==~~,, 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?" ,,~~==*&##
###&*==~~, ,~~==*&###
##&*==~~,, ,,~~==*&##
#&*==~~,,, ,,,~~==*&#
##&*==~~,, ,,~~==*&##
###&*==~~, ,~~==*&###