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.#.###.##. 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. ..#..##.##
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.###...### I CALL IT IN ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE. NOT #.####.##.
#..#..#... MANY OTHERS AWAKE, THEY KNOW NOTHING ##...##.#.
#.##.##... ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS WELL. .#..#.####
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##.#.#.#.. WHEN I FALL AWAKE IN THE AFTERNOON, ####.#.#..
.#######.# KARL IS THERE, SMILING AT ME. "HEY ...#####.#
#......### BOY," HE SAYS, "WANNA HELP ME MAKE A ..#....###
#.....#..# CALL?" .##...#...
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#...#.##.# 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 .#.#....##
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