,.~;^£&### ###&£^;~.,
,,,,,~^£&& &&£^~,,,,,
,.~;^£&### ###&£^;~.,
,.~;^£&### ###&£^;~.,
,.~;;^^£## ##£^^;;~.,
,.~;;;;;£& 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?" ###&£^;~.,
,.~;^£&### ###&£^;~.,
,.~;^£#### ####£^;~.,
,.~;^£#### ####£^;~.,
,.~;^£&&&# #&&&£^;~.,
,,,,,~~^£& &£^~~,,,,,