###@%^*=:¨ ¨:=*^%@###
##@%^*=:¨¨ ¨¨:=*^%@##
#@%^*=:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:=*^%@#
@%^*=:¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨:=*^%@
%^*=:¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨:=*^%
@%^*=:¨¨¨¨ 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?" ¨¨¨¨:=*^%@
%^*=:¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨:=*^%
@%^*=:¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨:=*^%@
#@%^*=:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:=*^%@#
##@%^*=:¨¨ ¨¨:=*^%@##
###@%^*=:¨ ¨:=*^%@###