####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
#####$^~.. ..~^$#####
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
##$$$^.... orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ....^$$$##
##$^~~.... along the rusty cargo cars like some ....~~^$##
####$$^~.. species of ferrophage insect. up and ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. down the train, checking bolts, oiling ..~^$$####
#$^^...... joints, drinking coffee, smoking ......^^$#
#$^....... cigarettes. .......^$#
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. ############################## ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. we were going south through finland at ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. the time, sleeping close to the ..~^$$####
##$^...... furnace, watching the aurora borealis. ......^$##
#$$~~..... twenty-something members of the crew, .....~~$$#
#$$$^~~... most of which were mechanics, or ...~~^$$$#
####$$^~.. loaders, with large and hairy hands ..~^$$####
##$^...... that could swallow my entire body. and ......^$##
####$$^~.. me featuring as the cute and asocial ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. radio operator, stationed in the back ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. of the kilometer-long train, which ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. served me good and well. ..~^$$####
##$$$~.... ....~$$$##
####$$^~.. and then one night, there's a missile. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. we would routinely pick up new cars at ..~^$$####
##$^~~.... the tail, and drop some off, as a way ....~~^$##
####$$^~.. of earning some extra money. but a ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. missile, and appearing silently in the ..~^$$####
#$$^...... middle of the night at that? not ......^$$#
#$$$$^~... entirely... comfortable. ...~^$$$$#
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. 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?" ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
#$$$~..... .....~$$$#
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####
####$$^~.. ..~^$$####