†:~,...... ......,~:†
:~,....... .......,~:
~,........ ........,~
,......... .........,
.......... ..........
.......... 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 ......,~:†
$†:~,..... karl puts down the headphones and slaps .....,~:†$
£$†:~,.... me on my back. "allright boy. i just ....,~:†$£
@£$†:~,... sold a missile." he practically beams ...,~:†$£@
#@£$†:~,.. at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ..,~:†$£@#
##@£$†:~,. detour?" .,~:†$£@##
###@£$†:~, ,~:†$£@###
##@£$†:~,. .,~:†$£@##
#@£$†:~,.. ..,~:†$£@#
@£$†:~,... ...,~:†$£@
£$†:~,.... ....,~:†$£