###§%†\=:. .:=\†%§###
##%†\\\=:. .:=\\\†%##
###§%†\=:. .:=\†%§###
###§%†\=:. .:=\†%§###
§%\\\=.... ....=\\\%§
#%††\::... 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?" .:=\†%§###
§†\::..... .....::\†§
###§%†\=:. .:=\†%§###
#§§§%†\=:. .:=\†%§§§#
###§%†\=:. .:=\†%§###
#§%%††\=:. .:=\††%%§#