###@&*^~~. .~~^*&@###
##@&*^~~.. ..~~^*&@##
####@&*^~. .~^*&@####
##&^~~.... ....~~^&##
###@&*^~~. .~~^*&@###
###@&*^~~. 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?" .~~^*&@###
##@*~~~~~. .~~~~~*@##
####&*^~~. .~~^*&####
#@&**^~~.. ..~~^**&@#
###@&*^~~. .~~^*&@###
###@&*^~~. .~~^*&@###