,,,,,,,,«; ;«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«; ;«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«;$ $;«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«;$£ £$;«,,,,,,
,,,,,«;$£¤ 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?" $;«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«;$£ £$;«,,,,,,
,,,,,«;$£¤ ¤£$;«,,,,,
,,,,«;$£¤# #¤£$;«,,,,
,,,«;$£¤## ##¤£$;«,,,
,,«;$£¤### ###¤£$;«,,