,~=;†££@## ##@££†;=~,
,,,,~==;££ ££;==~,,,,
,~=;†££@## ##@££†;=~,
,~=;†££@## ##@££†;=~,
,~==;††£££ £££††;==~,
,,,,,~=†££ 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?" ##@££†;=~,
,~=;†££### ###££†;=~,
,~=;†££### ###££†;=~,
,~=;†££@## ##@££†;=~,
,,,,~~;££# #££;~~,,,,
,~=;†££@@@ @@@££†;=~,