.##.#.#.#. .#.#..#..#
..#.#.#.#. .#.#.##.##
.##.#.#.#. .#.#..#..#
..#.#.#.#. .#.#.##.##
.##.#.#.#. .#.#..#..#
..#.#.#.#. 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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