¤$$*«,,,,, ,,,,,«*$$¤
@##¤$§*«:, ,:«*§$¤##@
#@#¤$§*«:, ,:«*§$¤#@#
#@#¤$§*«:, ,:«*§$¤#@#
#$$**«:::, ,:::«**$$#
#@#¤$§*«:, orange-clad train-climber crew, moving ,:«*§$¤#@#
¤$§§*«,,,, along the rusty cargo cars like some ,,,,«*§§$¤
¤$$$*::,,, species of ferrophage insect. up and ,,,::*$$$¤
¤¤¤¤$§*«:, down the train, checking bolts, oiling ,:«*§$¤¤¤¤
#¤$*:,,,,, joints, drinking coffee, smoking ,,,,,:*$¤#
@#$§§§*«:, cigarettes. ,:«*§§§$#@
##$*::,,,, ,,,,::*$##
¤¤§««:,,,, ############################## ,,,,:««§¤¤
¤¤¤$$§*«:, ,:«*§$$¤¤¤
@¤$§§§*«:, we were going south through finland at ,:«*§§§$¤@
##@#¤$§«:, the time, sleeping close to the ,:«§$¤#@##
@@#¤$§*«:, furnace, watching the aurora borealis. ,:«*§$¤#@@
#¤$$*::::, twenty-something members of the crew, ,::::*$$¤#
¤$§«,,,,,, most of which were mechanics, or ,,,,,,«§$¤
##@¤$§*«:, loaders, with large and hairy hands ,:«*§$¤@##
##$§««,,,, that could swallow my entire body. and ,,,,««§$##
¤$*:,,,,,, me featuring as the cute and asocial ,,,,,,:*$¤
¤¤¤$§*:::, radio operator, stationed in the back ,:::*§$¤¤¤
#$***«:,,, of the kilometer-long train, which ,,,:«***$#
#@#¤$§*«:, served me good and well. ,:«*§$¤#@#
##@#$§*«:, ,:«*§$#@##
##@#¤$§«:, and then one night, there's a missile. ,:«§$¤#@##
@##¤$§*«:, we would routinely pick up new cars at ,:«*§$¤##@
¤$*:::,,,, the tail, and drop some off, as a way ,,,,:::*$¤
#@#¤$§*«:, of earning some extra money. but a ,:«*§$¤#@#
@¤§«:,,,,, 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 ,,,,,,«§¤#
@##¤$§*«:, few times. ,:«*§$¤##@
¤$**««::,, ,,::««**$¤
@#$$***«:, i'm almost snoozing again at the time ,:«***$$#@
##¤$$§*«:, karl puts down the headphones and slaps ,:«*§$$¤##
#¤$*«:,,,, me on my back. "allright boy. i just ,,,,:«*$¤#
¤$$$*:,,,, sold a missile." he practically beams ,,,,:*$$$¤
@@#¤$§*«:, at me, teeth filed sharp. "wanna make a ,:«*§$¤#@@
@@#¤$§*«:, detour?" ,:«*§$¤#@@
#@#¤$§*«:, ,:«*§$¤#@#
¤§*«:::::, ,:::::«*§¤
@#¤§*:,,,, ,,,,:*§¤#@
#$*«,,,,,, ,,,,,,«*$#
#¤$§«,,,,, ,,,,,«§$¤#