.......~=* *=~.......
......~=*% %*=~......
.....~=*%% %%*=~.....
....~=*%%@ @%%*=~....
...~=*%%@£ £@%%*=~...
..~=*%%@£# 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?" @%%*=~....
...~=*%%@£ £@%%*=~...
..~=*%%@£# #£@%%*=~..
.~=*%%@£## ##£@%%*=~.
..~=*%%@£# #£@%%*=~..
...~=*%%@£ £@%%*=~...