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####.#.### 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. ....###..#
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.##...##.# ############################## .#..##.###
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#.###.###. 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?" #..#....#.
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