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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. ,,,,,,,«*@
#££;,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,;££#
##£@£*;«,,      ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££      ,,«;*£@£##
##£@£*;«,,                                          ,,«;*£@£##
£@****;«,, 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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