##@#£§^=^, ,^=^§£#@##
#@#£§^=^,, ,,^=^§£#@#
@#£§^=^,,, ,,,^=^§£#@
#@#£§^=^,, ,,^=^§£#@#
##@#£§^=^, ,^=^§£#@##
#@#£§^=^,, 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?" ,,^=^§£#@#
##@#£§^=^, ,^=^§£#@##
#@#£§^=^,, ,,^=^§£#@#
@#£§^=^,,, ,,,^=^§£#@
#@#£§^=^,, ,,^=^§£#@#
##@#£§^=^, ,^=^§£#@##