&*=»^..... .....^»=*&
*=»^...... ......^»=*
=»^....... .......^»=
»^........ ........^»
^......... .........^
.......... 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?" ....^»=*&@
&*=»^..... .....^»=*&
*=»^...... ......^»=*
=»^....... .......^»=
»^........ ........^»
^......... .........^