New Times

Laura Stanciu
Vlad ran down the subway steps. He left from Politehnică metro station, changed at Unirii station, arrived at Tineretului station. As soon as he got out, he bought a rose on the corner and waited for Cami right by the subway entrance. Five minutes late. It happens again. It's not elegant to tell her I've arrived. Sounds like a reproach. He buys himself a traditional Luca pretzel and a Coke. Another five. He tests his patience until he gets the message. I've already been waiting 25 minutes for my first appointment. Really? I'm going. I'm here. Here where? Because you're not at Timpuri Noi[1] station.
Adina Drag
Minus twelve degrees. I'm all frozen. I've been yearning for his hot mouth ever since I saw him. I was glad when he chose me of all girls. He's got good taste. Obviously the packaging attracted him, but I know there's more to me than that, so I'm eagerly awaiting his discovery. I can imagine him looking at me hungrily, sticking his tongue out and licking me. The thought alone melts me. The moment comes. He sticks his spoon inside me and I'm dropping like a fool on the cold tiles. Even ice cream doesn't eat like it used to.

Elena Fermuș
When I crossed the border between the times, theborder patrol seized me. I had old things with me that I couldn't go on without. The world is changing, these are new times, they told me with a sour grin. Then they locked me up, to brainwash me, to forget where I came from. They intoxicated me with the latest theories and technologies. I don't know how long they held me captive. When I got out of there, it was probably spring. The acacia trees were going crazy, and I was dreaming of vanilla mice. I laughed to myself. You crazy customs officers, did you think I'd forget my way home?

(Translated by Andreea Iulia Udroiu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)


Real Fiction is a collective project started in 2013 by Florin Piersic Jr. The concept of Real Fiction continued to exist as a Facebook group, after a volume of stories was published at Humanitas Publishing House. (In February 2024, the group has 12,700 members.) The authors write ultra-short stories, with the texts limited to 500 characters (in Romanian, so the length of the English translation might be a little different) - a flash-fiction exercise on a topic that changes every few days. The group's coordinators are Florin Piersic Jr., Gabriel Molnar, Răzvan Penescu, Luchian Abel, and Vlad Mușat. (Drawing by Adrian T. Roman)

Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.