¶§%^*~,,,, ,,,,~*^%§¶
#¶§%^*~,,, ,,,~*^%§¶#
##¶§%^*~,, ,,~*^%§¶##
#¶§%^*~,,, ,,,~*^%§¶#
¶§%^*~,,,, ,,,,~*^%§¶
§%^*~,,,,, 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?" ,,,,,,,,,~
*~,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,~*
^*~,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,~*^
%^*~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~*^%
§%^*~,,,,, ,,,,,~*^%§
¶§%^*~,,,, ,,,,~*^%§¶