I put her on her back. She didn't understand why. She had a nice bust. So she resorted to a little feminine trick and watched him work through a mirror. When the master asked her what she was doing with the mirror, she lied that she was studying her own face. She must think me the vainest creature, but she dare not give up watching him. When the master told her the work was finished, she got goosebumps, even though the studio was stuffy. She turned and her breath caught in her throat. A proud phallus sat on the pedestal.
Diana Cornea
The lighter is not working today. Fuc. Desperate, I put in what I have: gasoline. Something like 95. This hospital isn't like the others. It's cheerful. A guy rides around on a scooter, drinks his coffee, smokes. All at once. He's yelling, No obstacles, no obstacles. Another reads a book and turns the pages with a ruler: twenty, twenty, twenty. A jovial guy in a white coat asks my name, probably wants to be friends, but, sceptical and wary, I say: Marlene. He winks at me: how long have I wanted to see you in colour.
Silvia Ștefan
In the park, after school. thirty-one, forty-two, forty-nine, sixty-three, seventy-nine. Anastasia was counting until her throat was dry and coughs echoing. Ready or not, here I come. Get to the tree, you said it wrong, says Tudor. That's what they taught us at school, okay? Come on, hide quickly or I'll chase you out of sight. She moved her head to the left and flicked her braided pigtails over her other shoulder. Didn't you hear, Tudor? I'm taking you off the guest list. Say goodbye to the cake, to the balloon. He turns to me: didn't I say it right, Auntie?
(Translated by Miruna-Gabriela Flipache / 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.