#@#@$†\~^, ,^~\†$@#@#
##@#@$†\~^ ^~\†$@#@##
#@#@$†\~^, ,^~\†$@#@#
@#@$†\~^,, ,,^~\†$@#@
#@$†\~^,,, ,,,^~\†$@#
@$†\~^,,,, orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ,,,,^~\†$@
$†\~^,,,,, along the rusty cargo cars like some ,,,,,^~\†$
†\~^,,,,,, 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?" ,,,,,,,,^~
\~^,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,^~\
†\~^,,,,,, ,,,,,,^~\†
$†\~^,,,,, ,,,,,^~\†$
@$†\~^,,,, ,,,,^~\†$@
#@$†\~^,,, ,,,^~\†$@#