###££%^»~. .~»^%££###
##££%^»~.. ..~»^%££##
#££%^»~... ...~»^%££#
££%^»~.... ....~»^%££
£%^»~..... .....~»^%£
%^»~...... 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?" ....~»^%££
£%^»~..... .....~»^%£
%^»~...... ......~»^%
^»~....... .......~»^
»~........ ........~»
^»~....... .......~»^