@¶#%%~~,,, ,,,~~%%#¶@
¶#%%~~,,,, ,,,,~~%%#¶
#%%~~,,,,, ,,,,,~~%%#
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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?" ,,,,,,,,~~
~,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,~
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
~,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,~
~~,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,~~
%~~,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,~~%