That room always drew me in. In that good, or large fireplace, whatever you wanna call it, the earth's wonders were gathered. We sneaked there to see them: doilies, crocheted flowers tied to the keys to the drawer, matching bedsheets and tablecloths, knick-knacks and vases filled with plastic flowers. In the middle of the bed reigned a large doll, against which a teddy bear was leaning. Why don't we play with them? They're from Germany, we're not allowed. Well, we could play here. Nooo. This is the fireplace from where he takes you as his bride or lets you stay dead, whispered Mihaela.
Ana-Maria Butuza
It was an amazing night. Buk had great plans. Lisa had agreed to go out with him. The car speeds down minor streets and stops in front of a supermarket. They're laughing and his hand searches for hers. While in the store, Buk puts 10 beers into the cart. Lisa takes 5 and places them back on the shelf. She pulls him by the beard. Lisa takes a dozen chocolate bars and throws them in the cart. He puts 9 back, they ruin one's figure and pinches her cheek. In the toy aisle, they throw everything in the cart from either side. They meet in the middle with a kiss and run.
Sorin Rizeanu
She could spin it between her legs, jump over it, wrap it around her neck, and pass it from one hand to the other. She stopped to hug me. She'd been jumping rope the entire morning, all smiles and sweat. The bandages are working, she squealed as she saw me staring at her wounded knees. I told her she was the bandage to my heart. The next day she brought me a stuffed hippopotamus. So I can plug the hole in your heart, she explained. At kindergarten they taught us that a simple bandage won't do if the wound is deep.
(Translated by Adriana-Maria Botea / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.