¶¶%%%*^~^.                                          .^~^*%%%¶¶
##¶@%*^~^.                                          .^~^*%@¶##
#@**~.....                                          .....~**@#
¶%%^^~....                                          ....~^^%%¶
@*~.......                                          .......~*@
@%*~~^^...  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?"                 ...^^~~^%@
##¶@%*^~^.                                          .^~^*%@¶##
@****^^~^.                                          .^~^^****@
##¶@%*^~^.                                          .^~^*%@¶##
##¶@%*^~^.                                          .^~^*%@¶##
###¶@%*^~^                                          ^~^*%@¶###