##@¤$§^»^, ,^»^§$¤@##
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###¤$§^»^, ,^»^§$¤###
@@$^^^^,,, ,,,^^^^$@@
@$$$§§^»^, ,^»^§§$$$@
##@¤$§^»^, Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving ,^»^§$¤@##
#@¤$^^^,,, Along The Rusty Cargo Cars Like Some ,,,^^^$¤@#
¤$$^^»,,,, Species Of Ferrophage Insect. Up And ,,,,»^^$$¤
@¤$^»^,,,, Down The Train, Checking Bolts, Oiling ,,,,^»^$¤@
@@$§^»»,,, Joints, Drinking Coffee, Smoking ,,,»»^§$@@
@$$^^^^^^, Cigarettes. ,^^^^^^$$@
##@¤$§^»^, ,^»^§$¤@##
@@¤$^^^,,, @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ,,,^^^$¤@@
¤¤§»»»»,,, ,,,»»»»§¤¤
###¤$§^»^, We Were Going South Through Finland At ,^»^§$¤###
#¤$^^^,,,, The Time, Sleeping Close To The ,,,,^^^$¤#
#@$^»»^,,, Furnace, Watching The Aurora borealis. ,,,^»»^$@#
@¤¤§^^,,,, 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 ,,,,»»§¤¤#
@¤¤$$§^»^, Detour?" ,^»^§$$¤¤@
@¤¤§§^^,,, ,,,^^§§¤¤@
###@¤$§^»^ ^»^§$¤@###
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