,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,#,,,,,,,,
##########                                          ,,,#######
#########,                                          ##,,######
########,,                                          #,,,,#####
#######,,#                                          ,,##,,####
######,,,,  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?"                 ##########
##########                                          ##########
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