####@^:«:, ,:«:^@####
#@::,,,,,, ,,,,,,::@#
##@@^:«:,, ,,:«:^@@##
####@^:«:, ,:«:^@####
#@^^:«,,,, ,,,,«:^^@#
#^::,,,,,, 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?" ,,,,::^^@#
####@^:«:, ,:«:^@####
###^«,,,,, ,,,,,«^###
##@::::,,, ,,,::::@##
#@@::«:,,, ,,,:«::@@#
##^««:::,, ,,:::««^##