##%%=-^,,, ,,,^-=%%##
###%%=-^,, ,,^-=%%###
####%%=-^, ,^-=%%####
###%%=-^,, ,,^-=%%###
##%%=-^,,, ,,,^-=%%##
#%%=-^,,,, 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?" ,,,,^-=%%#
##%%=-^,,, ,,,^-=%%##
###%%=-^,, ,,^-=%%###
####%%=-^, ,^-=%%####
###%%=-^,, ,,^-=%%###
##%%=-^,,, ,,,^-=%%##