##@¤§:«~,, ,,~«:§¤@##
###@¤§:«~, ,~«:§¤@###
##@¤§:«~,, ,,~«:§¤@##
#@¤§:«~,,, ,,,~«:§¤@#
@¤§:«~,,,, ,,,,~«:§¤@
¤§:«~,,,,, 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?" ,,,~«:§¤@#
@¤§:«~,,,, ,,,,~«:§¤@
¤§:«~,,,,, ,,,,,~«:§¤
@¤§:«~,,,, ,,,,~«:§¤@
#@¤§:«~,,, ,,,~«:§¤@#
##@¤§:«~,, ,,~«:§¤@##