.&&...&&.. .&..&....&
.&&&..&&&. ..&..&....
.&.&&.&.&& ...&..&...
...&&...&& &...&..&..
...&&&..&. &&...&..&.
...&.&&... 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?" .&...&.&&.
..&.&&..&. ..&....&&&
&...&&&... &..&...&.&
&&..&.&&.. .&..&....&
.&&...&&&. ..&..&...&
.&&&..&.&& ...&..&...