,,,^==*§¤#                                          #¤§*==^,,,
,,,,,^**§#                                          #§**^,,,,,
,^=**§¤###                                          ###¤§**=^,
,,^^****§¤                                          ¤§****^^,,
,^=**§¤###                                          ###¤§**=^,
,^=**§¤###  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?"                 ¤¤****==^,
,^=**§¤¤¤¤                                          ¤¤¤¤§**=^,
,^=**§¤###                                          ###¤§**=^,
,^=**§¤###                                          ###¤§**=^,
,,,,,==*§#                                          #§*==,,,,,
,^=**§¤###                                          ###¤§**=^,