..:=/*¤#£@ @£#¤*/=:..
...:=/*¤#£ £#¤*/=:...
....:=/*¤# #¤*/=:....
.....:=/*¤ ¤*/=:.....
......:=/* */=:......
.......:=/ 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?" ¤*/=:.....
......:=/* */=:......
.......:=/ /=:.......
........:= =:........
.......:=/ /=:.......
......:=/* */=:......