,,~-:†$§£# #£§$†:-~,,
,,,~-:†$§£ £§$†:-~,,,
,,,,~-:†$§ §$†:-~,,,,
,,,,,~-:†$ $†:-~,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:† †:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: orange-clad train-climber crew, moving :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- along the rusty cargo cars like some -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ species of ferrophage insect. up and ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~- down the train, checking bolts, oiling -~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~-: joints, drinking coffee, smoking :-~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~-:† cigarettes. †:-~,,,,,,
,,,,,~-:†$ $†:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:†$§ ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ §$†:-~,,,,
,,,~-:†$§£ £§$†:-~,,,
,,~-:†$§£# 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?" $†:-~,,,,,
,,,,~-:†$§ §$†:-~,,,,
,,,~-:†$§£ £§$†:-~,,,
,,~-:†$§£# #£§$†:-~,,
,~-:†$§£## ##£§$†:-~,
,,~-:†$§£# #£§$†:-~,,