....~:$$@@ @@$$:~....
.....^~$@# #@$~^.....
.^~:$$@### ###@$$:~^.
^~:$$@#### ####@$$:~^
....~$$@@@ @@@$$~....
.^~:$$#### orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ####$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### along the rusty cargo cars like some ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### species of ferrophage insect. up and ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### down the train, checking bolts, oiling ###@$$:~^.
....~$$@@# joints, drinking coffee, smoking #@@$$~....
.^~:$$@### cigarettes. ###@$$:~^.
......^:$# #$:^......
.^~$$@#### ############################## ####@$$~^.
....~::$@# #@$::~....
.^^~::$$@# we were going south through finland at #@$$::~^^.
.^~:$$@### the time, sleeping close to the ###@$$:~^.
......~:$@ furnace, watching the aurora borealis. @$:~......
..^~:::$@# twenty-something members of the crew, #@$:::~^..
.^~:$$@### most of which were mechanics, or ###@$$:~^.
..^^:::$$@ loaders, with large and hairy hands @$$:::^^..
.^~:$$@### that could swallow my entire body. and ###@$$:~^.
......~$$# me featuring as the cute and asocial #$$~......
.^~:$$@### radio operator, stationed in the back ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### of the kilometer-long train, which ###@$$:~^.
.....^:$@# served me good and well. #@$:^.....
.^~~~~$$@# #@$$~~~~^.
.^~:$$@### and then one night, there's a missile. ###@$$:~^.
...^:::$@@ we would routinely pick up new cars at @@$:::^...
.^~:$$@### the tail, and drop some off, as a way ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### of earning some extra money. but a ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### missile, and appearing silently in the ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### middle of the night at that? not ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### entirely... comfortable. ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$#### i call it in on the walkie-talkie. not ####$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### many others awake, they know nothing ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$$$@# about it, and appear concerned as well. #@$$$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### ############################## ###@$$:~^.
...^^:$$@# #@$$:^^...
.^~:$$@### 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?" ####@$$~^.
...^~~:$## ##$:~~^...
.^~:$$@### ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### ###@$$:~^.
.^~:$$@### ###@$$:~^.
.....~~$@# #@$~~.....