#####,#,## ###,#,,,#,
#,,,,####, ,,,###,,##
,#,,,#,,,# #,,#,,#,#,
,##,,##,,# ,#,##,####
##,#,#,#,# ####,##,,,
#,######## 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?" #,,,,#,,#,
#####,#### ,#,,,##,##
,,,,,##,,, ###,,#,##,
,,,,,#,#,, ,,,#,###,#
#,,,,####, ,,,###,,##
,#,,,#,,,# #,,#,,#,#,