##¶&¤=\«-¨ ¨-«\=¤&¶##
#¶&¤=\«-¨¨ ¨¨-«\=¤&¶#
¶&¤=\«-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-«\=¤&¶
&¤=\«-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-«\=¤&
¤=\«-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-«\=¤
&¤=\«-¨¨¨¨ 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?" ¨¨¨¨-«\=¤&
¤=\«-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-«\=¤
&¤=\«-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-«\=¤&
¶&¤=\«-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-«\=¤&¶
#¶&¤=\«-¨¨ ¨¨-«\=¤&¶#
##¶&¤=\«-¨ ¨-«\=¤&¶##