##@#$*†=-. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. DOWN THE TRAIN, CHECKING BOLTS, OILING .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. CIGARETTES. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. WE WERE GOING SOUTH THROUGH FINLAND AT .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. THE TIME, SLEEPING CLOSE TO THE ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW, ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. MOST OF WHICH WERE MECHANICS, OR .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. LOADERS, WITH LARGE AND HAIRY HANDS ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. THAT COULD SWALLOW MY ENTIRE BODY. AND .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ME FEATURING AS THE CUTE AND ASOCIAL ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. RADIO OPERATOR, STATIONED IN THE BACK .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. OF THE KILOMETER-LONG TRAIN, WHICH ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. SERVED ME GOOD AND WELL. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. AND THEN ONE NIGHT, THERE'S A MISSILE. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. WE WOULD ROUTINELY PICK UP NEW CARS AT ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. THE TAIL, AND DROP SOME OFF, AS A WAY .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. OF EARNING SOME EXTRA MONEY. BUT A ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. MISSILE, AND APPEARING SILENTLY IN THE .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT THAT? NOT ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. ENTIRELY... COMFORTABLE. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. I CALL IT IN ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE. NOT .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. MANY OTHERS AWAKE, THEY KNOW NOTHING ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS WELL. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. WHEN I FALL AWAKE IN THE AFTERNOON, .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. KARL IS THERE, SMILING AT ME. "HEY ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. BOY," HE SAYS, "WANNA HELP ME MAKE A .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. CALL?" ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. AFTER HE'S BROUGHT ME COFFEE, I DIAL ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. THE FREQUENCY FROM HIS NOTEBOOK, AND .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. AFTER A WHILE THERE'S A REPLY IN ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. PAN-SLAVIC. KARL LAUGHS AND MAKES A .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. REPLY IN THE SAME LANGUAGE. EVEN THOUGH ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. WE BOTH HAVE HEADPHONES I CAN'T FOLLOW .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. AT ALL, BUT I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. FEW TIMES. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. I'M ALMOST SNOOZING AGAIN AT THE TIME .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. KARL PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. ME ON MY BACK. "ALLRIGHT BOY. I JUST .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. SOLD A MISSILE." HE PRACTICALLY BEAMS ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. DETOUR?" ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. .-=†*$#@##
#@#$*†=-.. ..-=†*$#@#
##@#$*†=-. .-=†*$#@##