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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. ,^»;**¤¶##
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##¶¤**;»^, 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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###¤**;»^, When I Fall Awake In The Afternoon, ,^»;**¤###
¤*****;»^, Karl Is There, Smiling At Me. "Hey ,^»;*****¤
##¶¤**;»^, Boy," He Says, "Wanna Help Me Make A ,^»;**¤¶##
#¶¤*»»,,,, Call?" ,,,,»»*¤¶#
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¶¶**;^,,,, 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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