..#.#.#..#                                          .....##..#
.##.#.#.#.                                          ....#.#.##
..#.#.#.#.                                          ...##.#..#
.##.#.#.#.                                          ..#.#.#.##
..#.#.#.#.                                          .##.#.#..#
.##.#.#.#.  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?"                 ..#.#.#.##
..#.#.#.#.                                          .##.#.#..#
.##.#.#.#.                                          ..#.#.#.##
..#.#.#.#.                                          .##.#.#..#
.##.#.#.#.                                          ..#.#.#.##
..#.#.#.#.                                          .##.#.#..#