###@¤^;»^. .^»;^¤@###
##@¤^;»^.. ..^»;^¤@##
#@¤^;»^... ...^»;^¤@#
@¤^;»^.... ....^»;^¤@
¤^;»^..... .....^»;^¤
^;»^...... 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?" ..^»;^¤@##
###@¤^;»^. .^»;^¤@###
##@¤^;»^.. ..^»;^¤@##
#@¤^;»^... ...^»;^¤@#
@¤^;»^.... ....^»;^¤@
¤^;»^..... .....^»;^¤