.^=\=§@###                                          ###@§=\=^.
..^=\=§@##                                          ##@§=\=^..
.^=\=§@###                                          ###@§=\=^.
..^=\=§@##                                          ##@§=\=^..
.^=\=§@###                                          ###@§=\=^.
..^=\=§@##  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?"                 ##@§=\=^..
.^=\=§@###                                          ###@§=\=^.
..^=\=§@##                                          ##@§=\=^..
.^=\=§@###                                          ###@§=\=^.
..^=\=§@##                                          ##@§=\=^..
.^=\=§@###                                          ###@§=\=^.