####£§$-,, ,,-$§£####
##££§$=-,, ,,-=$§££##
££§$--,,,, ,,,,--$§££
###£§$=-,, ,,-=$§£###
###£§$=-,, ,,-=$§£###
####£§$=-, orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ,-=$§£####
###£§$=-,, along the rusty cargo cars like some ,,-=$§£###
###£§$=-,, species of ferrophage insect. up and ,,-=$§£###
###£§$=-,, down the train, checking bolts, oiling ,,-=$§£###
££§=,,,,,, 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 ,,,,,,,=§£
#£§§§$=-,, pan-slavic. karl laughs and makes a ,,-=$§§§£#
###£§$=-,, reply in the same language. even though ,,-=$§£###
###£§$=-,, we both have headphones i can't follow ,,-=$§£###
###£§$=-,, at all, but i hear the word "missile" a ,,-=$§£###
#£$$-,,,,, few times. ,,,,,-$$£#
###£§$=-,, ,,-=$§£###
#£$$-,,,,, i'm almost snoozing again at the time ,,,,,-$$£#
###£§$=-,, karl puts down the headphones and slaps ,,-=$§£###
£$===,,,,, me on my back. "allright boy. i just ,,,,,===$£
#£§$=-,,,, sold a missile." he practically beams ,,,,-=$§£#
###£§$=-,, at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ,,-=$§£###
###£§$=-,, detour?" ,,-=$§£###
#£§=,,,,,, ,,,,,,=§£#
#£££§$=-,, ,,-=$§£££#
###£§$=-,, ,,-=$§£###
###£§$=-,, ,,-=$§£###
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