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¶&¤$»».... ....»»$¤&¶
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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 ...»»^¤¤¤¶
&&$^»..... DETOUR?" .....»^$&&
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