¤%%;;~~-,, ,,-~~;;%%¤
@@¤¤*%;~-, ,-~;%*¤¤@@
#¤%~~,,,,, ,,,,,~~%¤#
@*;-,,,,,, ,,,,,,-;*@
#¤*%%;---, ,---;%%*¤#
@*;~,,,,,, 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?" ,,,,-~~%*¤
¤*;;;;-,,, ,,,-;;;;*¤
#¤**;;-,,, ,,,-;;**¤#
@*%%;--,,, ,,,--;%%*@
###@¤*%;~- -~;%*¤@###
###@¤*%;~, ,~;%*¤@###