###,,,,##, ,,##,,#,#,
,,#,,,#,## ,#,#,#####
,##,,###,# #####,,,,#
#,#,#,,##, ,,,,#,,,##
#####,#,## ,,,##,,#,,
,,,,####,# 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?" ,,#,,###,,
,#,#,,##,# ,##,#,,#,,
####,#,### #,###,##,,
,,,####,,# ##,,##,#,#
,,#,,,#,## ,#,#,#####
,##,,###,# #####,,,,#