@@@@@%^»^. .^»^%@@@@@
##@£@%^»^. .^»^%@£@##
##@£@%^»^. .^»^%@£@##
@@^^...... ......^^@@
##@£@%^»^. .^»^%@£@##
@@^^^^.... 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?" .^»^%@£@##
@£@^^^.... ....^^^@£@
##@£@%^»^. .^»^%@£@##
#@££@%^»^. .^»^%@££@#
@@^»»^^^.. ..^^^»»^@@
##@£@%^»^. .^»^%@£@##