,,===%%%¤¤ ¤¤%%%===,,
,,==%&¤### ###¤&%==,,
,,,,,,,=%¤ ¤%=,,,,,,,
,,==%&¤### ###¤&%==,,
,,==%&¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤&%==,,
,,==%&¤### 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?" ##&%%%==,,
,,,,===%&¤ ¤&%===,,,,
,,==%&¤### ###¤&%==,,
,,,,,,==%¤ ¤%==,,,,,,
,,,===%¤¤# #¤¤%===,,,
,,==%&¤### ###¤&%==,,