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#%%^---... ...---^%%#
¶¶%%%%^»-. .-»^%%%%¶¶
##%^--.... ....--^%##
#@¶#%%^»-. 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?" ...»»^^%#@
#@¶#%%^»-. .-»^%%#¶@#
@¶#%%»-... ...-»%%#¶@
@¶#%%%^»-. .-»^%%%#¶@
##@¶%%^»-. .-»^%%¶@##
#@¶#%%^»-. .-»^%%#¶@#