,,,,,,»$££ ££$»,,,,,,
,-»:$&£££@ @£££&$:»-,
,-»:$&£@## ##@£&$:»-,
,,-»::$$&£ £&$$::»-,,
,,,,-:&&£@ @£&&:-,,,,
,-»»»»:$££ orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ££$:»»»»-,
,,,,,,-»$£ along the rusty cargo cars like some £$»-,,,,,,
,-»:$&££## species of ferrophage insect. up and ##££&$:»-,
,-»:$&££@# down the train, checking bolts, oiling #@££&$:»-,
,-»:$&&£££ joints, drinking coffee, smoking £££&&$:»-,
,-»:$&££££ cigarettes. ££££&$:»-,
,-»:$&£@## ##@£&$:»-,
,-»:$££@## ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ ##@££$:»-,
,-»:$&££@# #@££&$:»-,
,,,----:$£ we were going south through finland at £$:----,,,
,-»:$&££@# the time, sleeping close to the #@££&$:»-,
,-»:$&££@# furnace, watching the aurora borealis. #@££&$:»-,
,-»:$&££## twenty-something members of the crew, ##££&$:»-,
,,---»:$&£ most of which were mechanics, or £&$:»---,,
,,,,-:&&££ 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?" ££&:»,,,,,
,-»:$&££@# #@££&$:»-,
,-»:$&££@@ @@££&$:»-,
,-»:$&£££@ @£££&$:»-,
,-»:$££@## ##@££$:»-,
,,,-::&&&£ £&&&::-,,,