,,,,»»**$# #$**»»,,,,
,,»*§$¤¤## ##¤¤$§*»,,
,,»*§$¤### ###¤$§*»,,
,,»*§$¤### ###¤$§*»,,
,,»*§$¤### ###¤$§*»,,
,,»***§§§¤ 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 ¤§§*,,,,,,
,,»*§$¤### karl puts down the headphones and slaps ###¤$§*»,,
,,»*§$¤### me on my back. "allright boy. i just ###¤$§*»,,
,,»*§$¤### sold a missile." he practically beams ###¤$§*»,,
,,»*§$¤### at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ###¤$§*»,,
,,,,,,*$$# detour?" #$$*,,,,,,
,,»***§§$¤ ¤$§§***»,,
,,»*§$$$## ##$$$§*»,,
,,,,,,**§¤ ¤§**,,,,,,
,,»*§$¤¤## ##¤¤$§*»,,
,,,,,,*$## ##$*,,,,,,