###££$\»^, ,^»\$££###
##££$\»^,, ,,^»\$££##
#££$\»^,,, ,,,^»\$££#
££$\»^,,,, ,,,,^»\$££
£$\»^,,,,, ,,,,,^»\$£
$\»^,,,,,, orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ,,,,,,^»\$
£$\»^,,,,, 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 ,,,^»\$££#
##££$\»^,, detour?" ,,^»\$££##
###££$\»^, ,^»\$££###
##££$\»^,, ,,^»\$££##
#££$\»^,,, ,,,^»\$££#
££$\»^,,,, ,,,,^»\$££
£$\»^,,,,, ,,,,,^»\$£