Eric was waiting excitedly for Klaus to bring him a present. But because he lived in a different time and space than the rest of the people, punky Ulrike showed up with her spatial motorcyclists; Rudolf, on his Harley, had a red headlight that swept the abyss, and Ulrike a pink mane on a shiny bald head and a nose ring. She palmed the white package to him and Eric cut it open with his fingernail right there under the fir tree and inhaled deeply. Mmm, meat jelly dust, he whispered and felt himself start drifting away among suns and exoplanets.
Florentina Enache
It had been a year since that blasted crow started to drive him insane. It stole everything it could carry and crowed all day long. It watched him more than the late woman did after she boiled the wine. When the snow was higher than the fence he groomed himself, cleaned his home and waited for the great cold. He didn't expect for the creature to bring him walnuts, rosehips, bread crusts, small apples, pieces of ham. When winter finished he was as thin as paper, but alive and with his beard matted. Florica, if that's you, please forgive me for everything. Now you know that was my best.
Andra Toropoc
He was waiting all prepared, he even had a new repertoire. He was waiting to be called like he had been all those years. He pleased everyone, he took pictures with each one of them, he laughed a lot and the people would laugh along. One Christmas Eve his wife died, yet he still went where he had promised to. And he cried telling his jokes, but the crowd didn't need his pain. In time he was forgotten, but he still feels like he did once, he even placed an ad. It was useless. He passed his hand through his snow-like beard and checked the phone's battery again.
(Translated by Ruxandra Adriana Dodoiu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.