...=^†$§@# #@§$†^=...
..=^†$§@## ##@§$†^=..
...=^†$§@# #@§$†^=...
....=^†$§@ @§$†^=....
.....=^†$§ §$†^=.....
......=^†$ 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?" ^=........
.........= =.........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........