###@$%=«,¨ ¨,«=%$@###
###@$%=«,¨ ¨,«=%$@###
###@$%=«,¨ ¨,«=%$@###
###@$%=«,¨ ¨,«=%$@###
@%%««¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨««%%@
##@%=«¨¨¨¨ 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 ¨,«=%$$@##
@%%««¨¨¨¨¨ reply in the same language. even though ¨¨¨¨¨««%%@
###@$%=«,¨ we both have headphones i can't follow ¨,«=%$@###
###@$%=«,¨ at all, but i hear the word "missile" a ¨,«=%$@###
###@$%=«,¨ few times. ¨,«=%$@###
#@@%%«,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,«%%@@#
#@$%==«¨¨¨ i'm almost snoozing again at the time ¨¨¨«==%$@#
###@$%=«,¨ karl puts down the headphones and slaps ¨,«=%$@###
####@$=«,¨ me on my back. "allright boy. i just ¨,«=$@####
###@$%=«,¨ sold a missile." he practically beams ¨,«=%$@###
####$%=«,¨ at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ¨,«=%$####
@$%===«¨¨¨ detour?" ¨¨¨«===%$@
###@$%=«,¨ ¨,«=%$@###
@%«,¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨,«%@
#@$$$%=«,¨ ¨,«=%$$$@#
@@$=«,¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨,«=$@@
###@$%=«,¨ ¨,«=%$@###