,,..-***$& &$***-..,,
,,,,--/$&# #&$/--,,,,
,.-/*$&### ###&$*/-.,
,.-/*$&### ###&$*/-.,
,,,,,-*$&# #&$*-,,,,,
,.-/*$&### ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING ###&$*/-.,
,.-/*$&### ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME ###&$*/-.,
,.-/*$&### SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND ###&$*/-.,
,,,,..-*$# DOWN THE TRAIN, CHECKING BOLTS, OILING #$*-..,,,,
,.-/*$&### JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING ###&$*/-.,
,.-/*&#### 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?" #&*--,,,,,
,.-/*$&### ###&$*/-.,
,.-/*$&&## ##&&$*/-.,
,.-/*$&### ###&$*/-.,
,.----*&## ##&*----.,
,,,.-/**$# #$**/-.,,,