###¶@†\».¨ ¨.»\†@¶###
##¶@†\».¨¨ ¨¨.»\†@¶##
#¶@†\».¨¨¨ ¨¨¨.»\†@¶#
##¶@†\».¨¨ ¨¨.»\†@¶##
###¶@†\».¨ ¨.»\†@¶###
##¶@†\».¨¨ 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?" ¨¨.»\†@¶##
###¶@†\».¨ ¨.»\†@¶###
##¶@†\».¨¨ ¨¨.»\†@¶##
#¶@†\».¨¨¨ ¨¨¨.»\†@¶#
##¶@†\».¨¨ ¨¨.»\†@¶##
###¶@†\».¨ ¨.»\†@¶###