^†=~......                                          ......~=†^
$^†=~.....                                          .....~=†^$
§$^†=~....                                          ....~=†^$§
@§$^†=~...                                          ...~=†^$§@
@@§$^†=~..                                          ..~=†^$§@@
#@@§$^†=~.  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  .~=†^$§@@#
@@§$^†=~.. along the  rusty  cargo  cars  like some ..~=†^$§@@
@§$^†=~... species  of ferrophage  insect.  up  and ...~=†^$§@
§$^†=~.... down the  train, checking bolts,  oiling ....~=†^$§
$^†=~.....     joints, drinking coffee, smoking     .....~=†^$
^†=~......               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 ......~=†^
$^†=~..... sold  a  missile." he practically  beams .....~=†^$
§$^†=~.... at me, teeth filed sharp.  "wanna make a ....~=†^$§
@§$^†=~...                 detour?"                 ...~=†^$§@
@@§$^†=~..                                          ..~=†^$§@@
#@@§$^†=~.                                          .~=†^$§@@#
@@§$^†=~..                                          ..~=†^$§@@
@§$^†=~...                                          ...~=†^$§@
§$^†=~....                                          ....~=†^$§