#@&§†^-^,, ,,^-^†§&@#
@&§†^-^,,, ,,,^-^†§&@
&§†^-^,,,, ,,,,^-^†§&
§†^-^,,,,, ,,,,,^-^†§
†^-^,,,,,, ,,,,,,^-^†
^-^,,,,,,, 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?" ,,,,,,,^-^
†^-^,,,,,, ,,,,,,^-^†
§†^-^,,,,, ,,,,,^-^†§
&§†^-^,,,, ,,,,^-^†§&
@&§†^-^,,, ,,,^-^†§&@
#@&§†^-^,, ,,^-^†§&@#