......~=:% %:=~......
.....~=:%£ £%:=~.....
....~=:%££ ££%:=~....
...~=:%££# #££%:=~...
..~=:%££## ##££%:=~..
.~=:%££### 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?" :=~.......
........~= =~........
.........~ ~.........
........~= =~........
.......~=: :=~.......
......~=:% %:=~......