##@§£$/~,, ,,~/$£§@##
@@£//,,,,, ,,,,,//£@@
##@§£$/~,, ,,~/$£§@##
§§§£///~,, ,,~///£§§§
§£$$/,,,,, ,,,,,/$$£§
§$$/,,,,,, orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ,,,,,,/$$§
##@§£$/~,, along the rusty cargo cars like some ,,~/$£§@##
##@§£$/~,, species of ferrophage insect. up and ,,~/$£§@##
@@@§£$/~,, down the train, checking bolts, oiling ,,~/$£§@@@
@§£/~,,,,, 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?" ,,~///££@#
@£££/,,,,, ,,,,,/£££@
##@§£$/~,, ,,~/$£§@##
@@£/~,,,,, ,,,,,~/£@@
§£//~,,,,, ,,,,,~//£§
@££/~,,,,, ,,,,,~/££@