........,- -,........
.......,-; ;-,.......
......,-;% %;-,......
.....,-;%% %%;-,.....
....,-;%%@ @%%;-,....
...,-;%%@# 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?" %%;-,.....
......,-;% %;-,......
.......,-; ;-,.......
........,- -,........
........., ,.........
........,- -,........