.:~:$¤&###                                          ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&&##                                          ##&&¤$:~:.
....::::¤#                                          #¤::::....
.:~:$¤&###                                          ###&¤$:~:.
:~:$¤&####                                          ####&¤$:~:
.:~:$¤&###  orange-clad train-climber crew, moving  ###&¤$:~:.
.:~::$¤&## along the  rusty  cargo  cars  like some ##&¤$::~:.
.:~:$¤&### species  of  ferrophage insect.  up  and ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&### down  the train,  checking bolts, oiling ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&###     joints, drinking coffee, smoking     ###&¤$:~:.
....::¤&&#                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 &&¤:::....
.:~:$¤&### at all, but i hear the word  "missile" a ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&###                few times.                ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&###                                          ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&### i'm  almost snoozing again  at the  time ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&### karl puts  down the headphones and slaps ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&### me  on  my  back. "allright boy. i  just ###&¤$:~:.
....~$¤&&# sold a  missile." he  practically  beams #&&¤$~....
.......~$& at  me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a &$~.......
....:~$$$&                 detour?"                 &$$$~:....
.:~:$¤&###                                          ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&###                                          ###&¤$:~:.
.:~:$¤&###                                          ###&¤$:~:.
.:~::::¤##                                          ##¤::::~:.
...:::¤¤##                                          ##¤¤:::...