¶¶#%%:,...                                          ...,:%%#¶¶
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#$:=......  ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING  ......=:$#
##¶#$%:=,. ALONG THE  RUSTY  CARGO  CARS  LIKE SOME .,=:%$#¶##
¶¶#$:==... SPECIES  OF  FERROPHAGE  INSECT. UP  AND ...==:$#¶¶
##$%:=.... DOWN THE TRAIN,  CHECKING  BOLTS, OILING ....=:%$##
#$$$%%:=,.     JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING     .,=:%%$$$#
##¶#$%:=,.                CIGARETTES.               .,=:%$#¶##
##¶#$%:=,.                                          .,=:%$#¶##
##$$$%:=,.      ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶      .,=:%$$$##
##¶#$%:=,.                                          .,=:%$#¶##
##%=...... 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 ...,=::$$¶
#%:,...... PAN-SLAVIC.  KARL  LAUGHS  AND  MAKES  A ......,:%#
¶$:,...... REPLY IN THE SAME LANGUAGE. EVEN  THOUGH ......,:$¶
###¶$%:=,. WE  BOTH HAVE HEADPHONES I CAN'T  FOLLOW .,=:%$¶###
¶¶¶#$%:=,. AT ALL,  BUT I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A .,=:%$#¶¶¶
##¶#$%:=,.                FEW TIMES.                .,=:%$#¶##
####$%:=,.                                          .,=:%$####
####$%:=,. I'M ALMOST  SNOOZING  AGAIN AT  THE TIME .,=:%$####
¶$$$$%:=,. KARL  PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS .,=:%$$$$¶
##¶#$%:=,. ME ON MY  BACK. "ALLRIGHT  BOY.  I  JUST .,=:%$#¶##
###¶#$%:=, SOLD A  MISSILE."  HE  PRACTICALLY BEAMS ,=:%$#¶###
##¶#$%:=,. AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA  MAKE A .,=:%$#¶##
####$%:=,.                 DETOUR?"                 .,=:%$####
###¶#$%:=.                                          .=:%$#¶###
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