###£*^*~:, ,:~*^*£###
###£*^*~:, ,:~*^*£###
###£*^*~:, ,:~*^*£###
###£*^*~:, ,:~*^*£###
#£££*^*~:, ,:~*^*£££#
####£^*~:, 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?" ,:~*^*£###
####*^*~:, ,:~*^*####
#**:,,,,,, ,,,,,,:**#
###£*^*~:, ,:~*^*£###
££^~::,,,, ,,,,::~^££
£***~,,,,, ,,,,,~***£