.~-=†$§#@#                                          #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§#                                          #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#                                          #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# along the  rusty  cargo  cars  like some #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ species  of  ferrophage  insect. up  and @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@# down  the train, checking bolts,  oiling #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@     joints, drinking coffee, smoking     @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§#                cigarettes.               #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#      ##############################      #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# we were going  south  through finland at #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ the   time,  sleeping   close   to   the @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#  furnace, watching the aurora borealis.  #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@  twenty-something members of the crew,   @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# most   of  which   were  mechanics,   or #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ loaders,  with  large  and  hairy  hands @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@# that could  swallow  my entire body. and #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@ me  featuring  as the  cute  and asocial @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# radio  operator, stationed in  the  back #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@    of the kilometer-long train, which    @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#         served me good and well.         #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# and then one  night, there's a  missile. #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ we would routinely  pick  up new cars at @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@# the  tail, and drop  some off, as a  way #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@ of  earning  some  extra  money.  but  a @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# missile, and  appearing  silently in the #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ middle   of  the   night  at  that?  not @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#         entirely... comfortable.         #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# i call  it in on  the walkie-talkie. not #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ many  others  awake, they  know  nothing @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@# about it, and appear concerned  as well. #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§#      ##############################      #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@# when  i  fall  awake in  the  afternoon, #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@ karl  is  there,  smiling  at  me.  "hey @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# boy,"  he  says, "wanna  help me  make a #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@                  call?"                  @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#                                          #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@ after  he's  brought  me coffee,  i dial @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# the frequency  from  his  notebook,  and #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ after  a  while   there's   a  reply  in @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@# pan-slavic.  karl  laughs  and  makes  a #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@ reply in the  same language. even though @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# we both have  headphones i  can't follow #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ at all,  but i hear the word "missile" a @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#                few times.                #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# i'm  almost  snoozing  again at the time #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@ karl puts down the headphones  and slaps @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@# me  on  my back. "allright boy.  i  just #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@ sold a  missile."  he practically  beams @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§# at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna  make a #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@                 detour?"                 @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#                                          #@#§$†=-~.
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
...~-=†$§#                                          #§$†=-~...
..~-=†$§#@                                          @#§$†=-~..
.~-=†$§#@#                                          #@#§$†=-~.