@@¶§%===,¨ ¨,===%§¶@@
#@¶§%===,¨ ¨,===%§¶@#
@§§§%===,¨ ¨,===%§§§@
##@¶%===,¨ ¨,===%¶@##
¶§==,¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨,==§¶
@@¶§%===,¨ 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?" ¨¨¨====§¶@
#@¶§%===,¨ ¨,===%§¶@#
@¶¶§%===,¨ ¨,===%§¶¶@
§§%===¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨===%§§
¶§==,,¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨,,==§¶
§§§§%===,¨ ¨,===%§§§§