,,@@,@,@@@                                          @@,@@@@@@,
,@,@@@@,,@                                          ,@@,,,,,@,
@@@,,,@,@@                                          @,@,,,,@@,
,,@,,@@@,@                                          @@@,,,@,@@
,@@,@,,@@@                                          ,,@,,@@@,@
@,@@@,@,,,  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?"                 @@@@@,,@@,
@@,,,,@,,,                                          ,,,,@,@,@,
,@,,,@@,,,                                          ,,,@@@@@@@
@@,,@,@,,,                                          ,,@,,,,,,@
,@,@@@@,,@                                          ,@@,,,,,@,
@@@,,,@,@@                                          @,@,,,,@@,