..,~:%&@## ##@&%:~,..
...,~:%&@# #@&%:~,...
....,~:%&@ @&%:~,....
.....,~:%& &%:~,.....
......,~:% %:~,......
.......,~: 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?" ###@&%:~,.
..,~:%&@## ##@&%:~,..
...,~:%&@# #@&%:~,...
....,~:%&@ @&%:~,....
.....,~:%& &%:~,.....
......,~:% %:~,......