.-:*%&@@## ##@@&%*:-.
..-:*%&@@# #@@&%*:-..
...-:*%&@@ @@&%*:-...
..-:*%&@@# #@@&%*:-..
.-:*%&@@## ##@@&%*:-.
..-:*%&@@# 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?" #@@&%*:-..
.-:*%&@@## ##@@&%*:-.
..-:*%&@@# #@@&%*:-..
...-:*%&@@ @@&%*:-...
..-:*%&@@# #@@&%*:-..
.-:*%&@@## ##@@&%*:-.