,,,,===:§#                                          #§:===,,,,
,,,,,,~:%§                                          §%:~,,,,,,
,~=:%§§###                                          ###§§%:=~,
,~=:%§####                                          ####§%:=~,
,,,,~=:§§#                                          #§§:=~,,,,
,~=:%§§§§#  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?"                 §§§§:=,,,,
,,,,==%§§§                                          §§§%==,,,,
,~~~=%§§§§                                          §§§§%=~~~,
,~=:%§§###                                          ###§§%:=~,
,,,,==%§§§                                          §§§%==,,,,
,,,,,~=%§#                                          #§%=~,,,,,