,~~/§£&### ###&£§/~~,
,~~/§£&### ###&£§/~~,
,~/§£&#### ####&£§/~,
,~~/§£&### ###&£§/~~,
,,,~~/£££# #£££/~~,,,
,~~/§£&### 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?" ###&£§/~~,
,,,,~~/§&# #&§/~~,,,,
,~~/§£&&&& &&&&£§/~~,
,,,,~~/§&& &&§/~~,,,,
,,,,,,,~§& &§~,,,,,,,
,~~/§£#### ####£§/~~,