,.~/%§@###                                          ###@§%/~.,
,.~~///%§@                                          @§%///~~.,
,.~/%§@###                                          ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%§@###                                          ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%§@###                                          ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%@####  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?"                 ###@§%/~.,
,.~////%§@                                          @§%////~.,
,.~/%§@###                                          ###@§%/~.,
,,,,..~%@@                                          @@%~..,,,,
,.~/%§@###                                          ###@§%/~.,
,.~/%§@###                                          ###@§%/~.,