#@$$$:~,,,                                          ,,,~:$$$@#
@@$~^,,,,,                                          ,,,,,^~$@@
#@$$~^,,,,                                          ,,,,^~$$@#
##@@$$:~^,                                          ,^~:$$@@##
@$$~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~$$@
#@@$:~,,,,  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  ,,,,~:$@@#
##@@$$:~^, along the  rusty cargo  cars  like  some ,^~:$$@@##
@$:^,,,,,, species  of ferrophage  insect.  up  and ,,,,,,^:$@
##@@$$:~^, down the  train, checking bolts,  oiling ,^~:$$@@##
@@$~^,,,,,     joints, drinking coffee, smoking     ,,,,,^~$@@
@$$$:^,,,,                cigarettes.               ,,,,^:$$$@
###@$$:~^,                                          ,^~:$$@###
#@$:~^,,,,      @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@      ,,,,^~:$@#
@$$$$$:~^,                                          ,^~:$$$$$@
#@@@$$:~^, 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?"                 ,^~~::$$@#
@$:~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~:$@
@$$~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~$$@
@$$$~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~$$$@
##@@$$:~^,                                          ,^~:$$@@##
@@$:^,,,,,                                          ,,,,,^:$@@