,,####,,,#                                          ##,,,,,,,,
#,,##,,#,,                                          #,,#######
,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,######
,#########                                          ,##,,####,
,,########                                          ,,,,,,##,,
#,,#######  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?"                 ##########
##########                                          ##########
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