,,,,,,=/$& &$/=,,,,,,
,,,,,,,=/$ $/=,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,=/ /=,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,= =,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,=/ /=,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,=/$ 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 $/=,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,=/ at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a /=,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,= detour?" =,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,=/ /=,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,=/$ $/=,,,,,,,
,,,,,,=/$& &$/=,,,,,,
,,,,,=/$&@ @&$/=,,,,,
,,,,=/$&@# #@&$/=,,,,