Ice Cream

Caterina Tudorache
It's him. The one who suddenly told me that today he's going to his mother to help her with the preparations for Christmas. Him. The one who held me last night in his arms. The one whose blue shirt I ironed this morning and made coffee for. The one who sends me daily messages saying he loves me. Him. She smiles at him and blinks often, smitten. She, whose hand he's kissing, smitten. I stand frozen looking through the confectionery window. She eventually noticed me. He turned his head, with an empty gaze. Honey, it's not what it seems. I don't know who she is.
 
 Ruxandra Donose
Caught between heaven and earth, Doru doesn't know where his mind is anymore. Today, he believes he can build anything, from a table to a spring-powered puppet, but in a few weeks, the victory will be the simple act of waking up in the morning. He doesn't think that far, he feels his head snapping, and the temptation to break or crush something violently is strong. Lili would stroke his head, kiss his hands, and take his heart in her palms to shield it from all harm. But she stands frozen beside him, hoping in the miraculous cure of patience.  

Răzvan Dițescu
It happened in those times when the winter truly felt like winter and the children either stayed indoors to do their holiday homework or went outside to sleigh. He lived on the street that drew kids from all over the city. A quiet side street, long and sloped. She lived in an apartment building downtown. On that day he had already made a few runs, when she appeared at the bottom of the street. It's been almost a year and now she seemed more beautiful. He stopped his sleigh next to her. He was frozen and she was frozen. Hi. Hi. They smiled at each other, with complicity, and began climbing the hill together.

(Translated by Maria-Ilinca Darie / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year II / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)