,,,,,,:~;* *;~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~; ;~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~;* *;~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~;*$ $*;~:,,,,,
,,,,:~;*$¤ ¤$*;~:,,,,
,,,:~;*$¤@ 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?" $*;~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~;* *;~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~; ;~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~;* *;~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~;*$ $*;~:,,,,,
,,,,:~;*$¤ ¤$*;~:,,,,