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##¤%;,.... 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. ...,,«;%¤¤
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###¤@%;«,. ############################## .,«;%@¤###
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¤¤¤@@%;«,. 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. .,«;%@¤###
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###¤@%;«,. I Call It In On The Walkie-Talkie. Not .,«;%@¤###
####¤%;«,. Many Others Awake, They Know Nothing .,«;%¤####
¤¤¤%;,,... About It, And Appear Concerned As Well. ...,,;%¤¤¤
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¤@;;«..... When I Fall Awake In The Afternoon, .....«;;@¤
###¤@%;«,. Karl Is There, Smiling At Me. "Hey .,«;%@¤###
##¤@%«.... Boy," He Says, "Wanna Help Me Make A ....«%@¤##
##@;;«««,. Call?" .,«««;;@##
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¤%;,,..... 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. ...,,«%¤¤¤
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#@;,,..... 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?" .,«;%@¤###
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