@&$$*«^... ...^«*$$&@
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
##@&$$*«^. .^«*$$&@##
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
@&$$*«^... ...^«*$$&@
&$$*«^.... orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ....^«*$$&
$$*«^..... along the rusty cargo cars like some .....^«*$$
$*«^...... species of ferrophage insect. up and ......^«*$
$$*«^..... down the train, checking bolts, oiling .....^«*$$
&$$*«^.... joints, drinking coffee, smoking ....^«*$$&
@&$$*«^... cigarettes. ...^«*$$&@
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
##@&$$*«^. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ .^«*$$&@##
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
@&$$*«^... we were going south through finland at ...^«*$$&@
&$$*«^.... the time, sleeping close to the ....^«*$$&
$$*«^..... furnace, watching the aurora borealis. .....^«*$$
$*«^...... twenty-something members of the crew, ......^«*$
$$*«^..... most of which were mechanics, or .....^«*$$
&$$*«^.... loaders, with large and hairy hands ....^«*$$&
@&$$*«^... that could swallow my entire body. and ...^«*$$&@
#@&$$*«^.. me featuring as the cute and asocial ..^«*$$&@#
##@&$$*«^. radio operator, stationed in the back .^«*$$&@##
#@&$$*«^.. of the kilometer-long train, which ..^«*$$&@#
@&$$*«^... served me good and well. ...^«*$$&@
&$$*«^.... ....^«*$$&
$$*«^..... and then one night, there's a missile. .....^«*$$
$*«^...... we would routinely pick up new cars at ......^«*$
$$*«^..... the tail, and drop some off, as a way .....^«*$$
&$$*«^.... of earning some extra money. but a ....^«*$$&
@&$$*«^... missile, and appearing silently in the ...^«*$$&@
#@&$$*«^.. middle of the night at that? not ..^«*$$&@#
##@&$$*«^. entirely... comfortable. .^«*$$&@##
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
@&$$*«^... i call it in on the walkie-talkie. not ...^«*$$&@
&$$*«^.... many others awake, they know nothing ....^«*$$&
$$*«^..... about it, and appear concerned as well. .....^«*$$
$*«^...... ......^«*$
$$*«^..... @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ .....^«*$$
&$$*«^.... ....^«*$$&
@&$$*«^... when i fall awake in the afternoon, ...^«*$$&@
#@&$$*«^.. karl is there, smiling at me. "hey ..^«*$$&@#
##@&$$*«^. boy," he says, "wanna help me make a .^«*$$&@##
#@&$$*«^.. call?" ..^«*$$&@#
@&$$*«^... ...^«*$$&@
&$$*«^.... after he's brought me coffee, i dial ....^«*$$&
$$*«^..... the frequency from his notebook, and .....^«*$$
$*«^...... after a while there's a reply in ......^«*$
$$*«^..... pan-slavic. karl laughs and makes a .....^«*$$
&$$*«^.... reply in the same language. even though ....^«*$$&
@&$$*«^... we both have headphones i can't follow ...^«*$$&@
#@&$$*«^.. at all, but i hear the word "missile" a ..^«*$$&@#
##@&$$*«^. few times. .^«*$$&@##
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
@&$$*«^... i'm almost snoozing again at the time ...^«*$$&@
&$$*«^.... karl puts down the headphones and slaps ....^«*$$&
$$*«^..... me on my back. "allright boy. i just .....^«*$$
$*«^...... sold a missile." he practically beams ......^«*$
$$*«^..... at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a .....^«*$$
&$$*«^.... detour?" ....^«*$$&
@&$$*«^... ...^«*$$&@
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
##@&$$*«^. .^«*$$&@##
#@&$$*«^.. ..^«*$$&@#
@&$$*«^... ...^«*$$&@