¨¨-«:*£&## ##&£*:«-¨¨
¨¨¨-«:*£&# #&£*:«-¨¨¨
¨¨-«:*£&## ##&£*:«-¨¨
¨-«:*£&### ###&£*:«-¨
¨¨-«:*£&## ##&£*:«-¨¨
¨¨¨-«:*£&# 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?" ###&£*:«-¨
¨¨-«:*£&## ##&£*:«-¨¨
¨¨¨-«:*£&# #&£*:«-¨¨¨
¨¨-«:*£&## ##&£*:«-¨¨
¨-«:*£&### ###&£*:«-¨
¨¨-«:*£&## ##&£*:«-¨¨