,,,~-^*%&#                                          #&%*^-~,,,
,,~-^*%&#@                                          @#&%*^-~,,
,~-^*%&#@#                                          #@#&%*^-~,
,,~-^*%&#@                                          @#&%*^-~,,
,,,~-^*%&#                                          #&%*^-~,,,
,,,,~-^*%&  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?"                 &%*^-~,,,,
,,,~-^*%&#                                          #&%*^-~,,,
,,~-^*%&#@                                          @#&%*^-~,,
,~-^*%&#@#                                          #@#&%*^-~,
,,~-^*%&#@                                          @#&%*^-~,,
,,,~-^*%&#                                          #&%*^-~,,,