####*§*«~. .~«*§*####
###**§*«~. .~«*§**###
#**~...... ......~**#
####*§*«~. .~«*§*####
####*§*«~. .~«*§*####
###§§§*«~. 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?" .~«*§*####
#*§**~.... ....~**§*#
####*§*«~. .~«*§*####
####*§*«~. .~«*§*####
#***««««~. .~««««***#
####*§*«~. .~«*§*####