....«;%&#@ @#&%;«....
...«;%&#@# #@#&%;«...
..«;%&#@## ##@#&%;«..
...«;%&#@# #@#&%;«...
....«;%&#@ @#&%;«....
.....«;%&# 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?" #&%;«.....
....«;%&#@ @#&%;«....
...«;%&#@# #@#&%;«...
..«;%&#@## ##@#&%;«..
...«;%&#@# #@#&%;«...
....«;%&#@ @#&%;«....