The train was fast approaching, its siren wailing. The barrier was already blocking the road with a white and red stripe. That's just about how the world looked like that one cloudy morning: white, red, grey and green. The only exception was a golden dandelion growing among the rocks between the railways. The train swooshes by the barrier, seemingly never-ending. When the last cart rumbled away, the world stilled again. Only the dandelion kept swinging wildly back and forth, irritated by the train's untimely crossing.
Monica Aldea
Iancu The House Painter, drunk lots at the café, very sad. 1glass o' brandy, 2 shots o' plum brandy, 3 big beers and so on and so forth in life so miserable. Well plastered, argued gendarmes on the boulevard. Made then up, restored honor chewed first. Payed horse, gave coachman a carrot. Slapped Gudurău two hearty slaps and for nuthing. Lady Anica's basket on the ground, petticoat lifted. Hooray. The whole street saw her underwear and other opportunities. Reached Capșa confectionery, corner of Independence Street, freshly painted crosswalk. Kissed the pavement, uniform stained with stripes.
Florina Hegedüs
Squeezed among the many, the two minutes of impatience feel as long as it would take to cross a mountain to the other side. The wave of feelings intensifies. Over life on auto mode, my gaze and his float. He is waiting for me. The Saharan dust makes my world different, colorful. I blink often, not losing sight of his tall silhouette. The crosswalks that seem like piano keys lure me to play a duet. I blink often, his eyes calling me in bloom, and I dart forward hurriedly. There were still a few seconds left but the speeding car is also in a great hurry.
(Translated by Ioana Grințescu / 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.