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#¤@†:»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»:†@¤#
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###¤@†:»-¨ ¨-»:†@¤###
##¤@†:»-¨¨ 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. ¨¨¨-»:†@¤#
##¤@†:»-¨¨ ¨¨-»:†@¤##
###¤@†:»-¨ ############################## ¨-»:†@¤###
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#¤@†:»-¨¨¨ 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?" ¨¨-»:†@¤##
###¤@†:»-¨ ¨-»:†@¤###
##¤@†:»-¨¨ ¨¨-»:†@¤##
#¤@†:»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»:†@¤#
##¤@†:»-¨¨ ¨¨-»:†@¤##
###¤@†:»-¨ ¨-»:†@¤###