##@=^=:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:=^=@##
###@=^=:¨¨ ¨¨:=^=@###
####@=^=:¨ ¨:=^=@####
###@=^=:¨¨ ¨¨:=^=@###
##@=^=:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:=^=@##
#@=^=:¨¨¨¨ 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?" ¨¨:=^=@###
##@=^=:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:=^=@##
#@=^=:¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨:=^=@#
@=^=:¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨:=^=@
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##@=^=:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:=^=@##