@*:::«¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨«:::*@
@*$$«¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨«$$*@
##@§*$:«.¨ ¨.«:$*§@##
#§$::::«.¨ ¨.«::::$§#
§$«¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨«$§
§§§§*$:«.¨ Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving ¨.«:$*§§§§
##@§*$:«.¨ Along The Rusty Cargo Cars Like Some ¨.«:$*§@##
§*:«¨¨¨¨¨¨ 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 ¨¨¨¨.««:*@
##@§*$:«.¨ At Me, Teeth Filed Sharp. "Wanna Make A ¨.«:$*§@##
##@§*$:«.¨ Detour?" ¨.«:$*§@##
#@§$$$:«.¨ ¨.«:$$$§@#
§**::«...¨ ¨...«::**§
@@@§*$:«.¨ ¨.«:$*§@@@
##@§*$:«.¨ ¨.«:$*§@##
##@§*$:«.¨ ¨.«:$*§@##