..@.@@.@@. @..@@..@@@
.@@..@..@. @.@.@.@.@@
..@.@@.@@. @.@.@.@..@
.@@..@..@. @.@.@.@.@@
..@.@@.@@. @.@.@.@..@
.@@..@..@. 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?" @.@.@.@.@@
..@.@@.@@. @.@.@.@..@
.@@..@..@. @.@.@.@.@@
..@.@@.@@. @.@.@.@..@
.@@..@..@. @.@.@.@.@@
..@.@@.@@. @.@.@.@..@