,--/$$@¶## ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@@¶¶ ¶¶@@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶¶# #¶¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## along the rusty cargo cars like some ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## species of ferrophage insect. up and ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## down the train, checking bolts, oiling ##¶@$$/--,
,,,,,-//$¶ joints, drinking coffee, smoking ¶$//-,,,,,
,--/$$¶### cigarettes. ###¶$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## ¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶ ##¶@$$/--,
,,,,---$@@ @@$---,,,,
,----/$$$¶ we were going south through finland at ¶$$$/----,
,--/$$$@@# the time, sleeping close to the #@@$$$/--,
,,,---/$$@ furnace, watching the aurora borealis. @$$/---,,,
,--/$$@¶## twenty-something members of the crew, ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## most of which were mechanics, or ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## loaders, with large and hairy hands ##¶@$$/--,
,-/$$@¶### that could swallow my entire body. and ###¶@$$/-,
,--/$$@¶## me featuring as the cute and asocial ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## radio operator, stationed in the back ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶¶# of the kilometer-long train, which #¶¶@$$/--,
,--/$$$$@# served me good and well. #@$$$$/--,
,--/$$$$¶¶ ¶¶$$$$/--,
,--/$$@@¶# 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 ###@$$/--,
,--/$$$$@¶ at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ¶@$$$$/--,
,--/$$$$¶¶ detour?" ¶¶$$$$/--,
,--/$$$$@# #@$$$$/--,
,--/$$@@@¶ ¶@@@$$/--,
,--/$$¶### ###¶$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## ##¶@$$/--,
,--/$$@¶## ##¶@$$/--,