####§=;-:. .:-;=§####
###=-:.... ....:-=###
#####=;-:. .:-;=#####
#§§§§=;-:. .:-;=§§§§#
##=-::.... ....::-=##
####§=;-:. 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?" .:-;=§####
####§=;-:. .:-;=§####
####§=;-:. .:-;=§####
#§;;--.... ....--;;§#
####§=;-:. .:-;=§####
#=-....... .......-=#