¨^=;%%#### ####%%;=^¨
¨¨^=;%%### ###%%;=^¨¨
¨¨¨^=;%%## ##%%;=^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^=;%%# #%%;=^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^=;%% %%;=^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨^=;% 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?" ###%%;=^¨¨
¨^=;%%#### ####%%;=^¨
¨¨^=;%%### ###%%;=^¨¨
¨¨¨^=;%%## ##%%;=^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^=;%%# #%%;=^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^=;%% %%;=^¨¨¨¨¨