@@@^†††»,, ,,»†††^@@@
@&†»,,,,,, ,,,,,,»†&@
##@@&^†»,, ,,»†^&@@##
@&^»,,,,,, ,,,,,,»^&@
@@&^»»,,,, ,,,,»»^&@@
##@@&^†»,, 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?" ,,»†^&@@##
##@@&^†»,, ,,»†^&@@##
@@@^^†»»,, ,,»»†^^@@@
##@@&^†»,, ,,»†^&@@##
@^†»,,,,,, ,,,,,,»†^@
@@@@&^†»,, ,,»†^&@@@@