,,.~†$*&¶#                                          #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶##                                          ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶#                                          #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶                                          ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*&                                          &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶# along  the  rusty cargo cars  like  some #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶## species  of  ferrophage  insect. up  and ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶# down the train, checking  bolts,  oiling #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶     joints, drinking coffee, smoking     ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*&               cigarettes.                &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶                                          ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶#      ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶      #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶##                                          ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶# we were  going south  through finland at #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ the   time,   sleeping  close   to   the ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*&  furnace, watching the aurora borealis.  &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶   twenty-something members of the crew,  ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶# most   of  which   were  mechanics,   or #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶## loaders,  with  large  and  hairy  hands ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶# that could  swallow  my entire body. and #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ me  featuring  as the  cute  and asocial ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*& radio operator,  stationed  in  the back &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶    of the kilometer-long train, which    ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶#         served me good and well.         #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶##                                          ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶# and  then one night,  there's a missile. #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ we would  routinely pick up new cars  at ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*& the tail, and drop  some off, as  a  way &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ of  earning  some  extra  money.  but  a ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶# missile, and  appearing  silently in the #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶## middle   of  the  night  at   that?  not ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶#         entirely... comfortable.         #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶                                          ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*& i call  it  in on the walkie-talkie. not &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ many  others  awake,  they  know nothing ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶# about it, and appear concerned as  well. #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶##                                          ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶#      ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶      #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶                                          ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*& when  i  fall  awake in  the  afternoon, &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ karl  is  there,  smiling  at  me.  "hey ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶# boy," he says, "wanna  help  me  make  a #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶##                  call?"                  ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶#                                          #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ after he's brought  me  coffee,  i  dial ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*& the  frequency  from  his notebook,  and &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ after  a   while  there's  a  reply   in ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶# pan-slavic.  karl  laughs  and  makes  a #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶## reply  in the same language. even though ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶# we both  have headphones  i can't follow #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ at all, but i hear the word  "missile" a ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*&                few times.                &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶                                          ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶# i'm  almost snoozing  again at  the time #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶## karl puts down the  headphones and slaps ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶# me  on  my back.  "allright boy. i  just #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶ sold  a missile."  he practically  beams ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*& at me, teeth filed  sharp. "wanna make a &*$†~.,,,,
,,,.~†$*&¶                 detour?"                 ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,.~†$*&¶#                                          #¶&*$†~.,,
,.~†$*&¶##                                          ##¶&*$†~.,
,,.~†$*&¶#                                          #¶&*$†~.,,
,,,.~†$*&¶                                          ¶&*$†~.,,,
,,,,.~†$*&                                          &*$†~.,,,,