.....^=†*& &*†=^.....
....^=†*&# #&*†=^....
...^=†*&#@ @#&*†=^...
..^=†*&#@# #@#&*†=^..
.^=†*&#@## ##@#&*†=^.
..^=†*&#@# 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?" *†=^......
.....^=†*& &*†=^.....
....^=†*&# #&*†=^....
...^=†*&#@ @#&*†=^...
..^=†*&#@# #@#&*†=^..
.^=†*&#@## ##@#&*†=^.