##@&£$\=.. ..=\$£&@##
###@&£$\=. .=\$£&@###
##@&£$\=.. ..=\$£&@##
#@&£$\=... ...=\$£&@#
@&£$\=.... ....=\$£&@
&£$\=..... 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?" ...=\$£&@#
@&£$\=.... ....=\$£&@
&£$\=..... .....=\$£&
@&£$\=.... ....=\$£&@
#@&£$\=... ...=\$£&@#
##@&£$\=.. ..=\$£&@##