$==~^..... .....^~==$
==~^...... ......^~==
=~^....... .......^~=
==~^...... ......^~==
$==~^..... .....^~==$
&$==~^.... Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving ....^~==$&
#&$==~^... Along The Rusty Cargo Cars Like Some ...^~==$&#
##&$==~^.. Species Of Ferrophage Insect. Up And ..^~==$&##
###&$==~^. Down The Train, Checking Bolts, Oiling .^~==$&###
##&$==~^.. Joints, Drinking Coffee, Smoking ..^~==$&##
#&$==~^... Cigarettes. ...^~==$&#
&$==~^.... ....^~==$&
$==~^..... @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ .....^~==$
==~^...... ......^~==
=~^....... 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 ......^~==
$==~^..... Few Times. .....^~==$
&$==~^.... ....^~==$&
#&$==~^... I'M Almost Snoozing Again At The Time ...^~==$&#
##&$==~^.. Karl Puts Down The Headphones And Slaps ..^~==$&##
###&$==~^. Me On My Back. "Allright Boy. I Just .^~==$&###
##&$==~^.. Sold A Missile." He Practically Beams ..^~==$&##
#&$==~^... At Me, Teeth Filed Sharp. "Wanna Make A ...^~==$&#
&$==~^.... Detour?" ....^~==$&
$==~^..... .....^~==$
==~^...... ......^~==
=~^....... .......^~=
==~^...... ......^~==
$==~^..... .....^~==$