##@@§=*«~.                                          .~«*=§@@##
##@@§=*«~.                                          .~«*=§@@##
@@§§*~~~~.                                          .~~~~*§§@@
@§*«~.....                                          .....~«*§@
#@@@§=*«~.                                          .~«*=§@@@#
##@@§=*«~.  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?"                 .~«*=§@@##
##@@§=*«~.                                          .~«*=§@@##
##@@§=*«~.                                          .~«*=§@@##
##@@§=*«~.                                          .~«*=§@@##
@==«......                                          ......«==@
@==«......                                          ......«==@