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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. .....«%££#
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&%%;;«.... ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ ....«;;%%&
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&%«....... 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. ....;%%££&
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##£&£%;«.. 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. ..«;%£&&£#
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#££%%%;«.. ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ ..«;%%%££#
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###££%;«.. 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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