##¶¤¤*^=^, ,^=^*¤¤¶##
¶¤¤^^,,,,, ,,,,,^^¤¤¶
###¤¤*^=^, ,^=^*¤¤###
¶¶¤¤¤*^=^, ,^=^*¤¤¤¶¶
¶¤¤¤¤*^=^, ,^=^*¤¤¤¤¶
¶¤*^^,,,,, 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?" ,,,,,==*¤¶
##¶¤¤*^=^, ,^=^*¤¤¶##
¤¤¤^^,,,,, ,,,,,^^¤¤¤
##¶¤¤*^=^, ,^=^*¤¤¶##
#¤¤*^^=,,, ,,,=^^*¤¤#
¤**=,,,,,, ,,,,,,=**¤