,......... .........,
.......... ..........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........
.......... 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?" ..,~;%*¤@#
@¤*%;~,... ...,~;%*¤@
¤*%;~,.... ....,~;%*¤
*%;~,..... .....,~;%*
%;~,...... ......,~;%
;~,....... .......,~;