§==-¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨-==§
%§==-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-==§%
#%§==-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-==§%#
##%§==-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-==§%##
###%§==-¨¨ ¨¨-==§%###
####%§==-¨ 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?" ¨¨¨-==§%##
###%§==-¨¨ ¨¨-==§%###
####%§==-¨ ¨-==§%####
###%§==-¨¨ ¨¨-==§%###
##%§==-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-==§%##
#%§==-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-==§%#