,~-:%%@@@@ @@@@%%:-~,
,~-:%%@@## ##@@%%:-~,
,~-:%%@@@@ @@@@%%:-~,
,~-:%%@@@@ @@@@%%:-~,
,,,,-%%@@@ @@@%%-,,,,
,,,,,,-:%@ 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?" #@@@%%:-~,
,~-%%@@@## ##@@@%%-~,
,~-:%%@@## ##@@%%:-~,
,,,,,,~-%@ @%-~,,,,,,
,~-:%%@@@@ @@@@%%:-~,
,,,,--%%%@ @%%%--,,,,