..~~~~:$@@ @@$:~~~~..
..~:§$@@@# #@@@$§:~..
..~:§$@@@# #@@@$§:~..
..~:§$@@@# #@@@$§:~..
.....~:§$@ @$§:~.....
..~:§$@@@# Orange-Clad Train-Climber Crew, Moving #@@@$§:~..
..~~~::§@@ 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 @$$::~~...
....~::$@@ Few Times. @@$::~....
..~:§$@@@# #@@@$§:~..
..~:§$@@## I'M Almost Snoozing Again At The Time ##@@$§:~..
......:§@@ Karl Puts Down The Headphones And Slaps @@§:......
.....~:$@@ Me On My Back. "Allright Boy. I Just @@$:~.....
.......~§@ Sold A Missile." He Practically Beams @§~.......
..~:§$@@@# At Me, Teeth Filed Sharp. "Wanna Make A #@@@$§:~..
...~~~§@@@ Detour?" @@@§~~~...
.....~~§§@ @§§~~.....
......:$$@ @$$:......
..~~~§§@@@ @@@§§~~~..
..~:§$@@@@ @@@@$§:~..
.~:§$@@@## ##@@@$§:~.