#@@¤&*=~,. .,~=*&¤@@#
#@@¤&*=~,. .,~=*&¤@@#
@@&**~~... ...~~**&@@
@&*~,..... .....,~*&@
#@@¤&*=~,. .,~=*&¤@@#
@¤¤&=,.... 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?" .,~=*&¤@@#
@&&&&*=~,. .,~=*&&&&@
¤¤*~~..... .....~~*¤¤
@@@¤&*=~,. .,~=*&¤@@@
#@@¤&*=~,. .,~=*&¤@@#
#@@¤&*=~,. .,~=*&¤@@#