..:=†*$§@# #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# DOWN THE TRAIN, CHECKING BOLTS, OILING #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# CIGARETTES. #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶ #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# WE WERE GOING SOUTH THROUGH FINLAND AT #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## THE TIME, SLEEPING CLOSE TO THE ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS. #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW, @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# MOST OF WHICH WERE MECHANICS, OR #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## LOADERS, WITH LARGE AND HAIRY HANDS ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# THAT COULD SWALLOW MY ENTIRE BODY. AND #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ ME FEATURING AS THE CUTE AND ASOCIAL @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# RADIO OPERATOR, STATIONED IN THE BACK #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## OF THE KILOMETER-LONG TRAIN, WHICH ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# SERVED ME GOOD AND WELL. #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# AND THEN ONE NIGHT, THERE'S A MISSILE. #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## WE WOULD ROUTINELY PICK UP NEW CARS AT ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# THE TAIL, AND DROP SOME OFF, AS A WAY #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ OF EARNING SOME EXTRA MONEY. BUT A @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# MISSILE, AND APPEARING SILENTLY IN THE #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT THAT? NOT ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# ENTIRELY... COMFORTABLE. #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# I CALL IT IN ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE. NOT #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## MANY OTHERS AWAKE, THEY KNOW NOTHING ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS WELL. #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶ #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# WHEN I FALL AWAKE IN THE AFTERNOON, #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ KARL IS THERE, SMILING AT ME. "HEY @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# BOY," HE SAYS, "WANNA HELP ME MAKE A #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## CALL?" ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ AFTER HE'S BROUGHT ME COFFEE, I DIAL @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# THE FREQUENCY FROM HIS NOTEBOOK, AND #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## AFTER A WHILE THERE'S A REPLY IN ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# PAN-SLAVIC. KARL LAUGHS AND MAKES A #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ REPLY IN THE SAME LANGUAGE. EVEN THOUGH @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# WE BOTH HAVE HEADPHONES I CAN'T FOLLOW #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## AT ALL, BUT I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# FEW TIMES. #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# I'M ALMOST SNOOZING AGAIN AT THE TIME #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## KARL PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# ME ON MY BACK. "ALLRIGHT BOY. I JUST #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ SOLD A MISSILE." HE PRACTICALLY BEAMS @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## DETOUR?" ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# #@§$*†=:..
...:=†*$§@ @§$*†=:...
..:=†*$§@# #@§$*†=:..
.:=†*$§@## ##@§$*†=:.
..:=†*$§@# #@§$*†=:..