,,,,,,.~=$                                          $=~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~=$%                                          %$=~.,,,,,
,,,,.~=$%§                                          §%$=~.,,,,
,,,.~=$%§@                                          @§%$=~.,,,
,,.~=$%§@#                                          #@§%$=~.,,
,.~=$%§@##  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 $=~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~=                 DETOUR?"                 =~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~=$                                          $=~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~=$%                                          %$=~.,,,,,
,,,,.~=$%§                                          §%$=~.,,,,
,,,.~=$%§@                                          @§%$=~.,,,
,,.~=$%§@#                                          #@§%$=~.,,