I can almost see my name beneath her picture. A malnourished child.Some filmy skin covering his ribs. His cloudy eyes look gratefully at the one who gives him a bit of water from his cupped hands. His life depends on this. Hope blossoms in his soul. Maybe tomorrow I'll have some water and something to eat myself. Here, I'll put this torn cloth over his shoulders. Yes, let the worn fabric show. No, don't drink it now, halfwit, you'll ruin the picture. What, can't you hold on a little longer? Once you're full, you won't have that sad face anymore. We can't take that risk.
Vero Anttheia Teodoru
A year has 31.556.952 seconds. Each second resembles a photograph. The years have flown by so quickly. I close my eyes and flip through an album from 1975. Just me and Dad. He holds me tightly so he won't lose me again as it happened at the seaside. We're at North Railway Station. With his other hand, he holds a small violin bought especially for me; he will teach me how to play. I look in amazement at all the trains coming and going. We get on. I cling to him. Lots of strange people around me. I fall asleep. I wake up in a different picture. At the door, Mom is waiting for us, smiling.
Camil Popescu
Every time they passed by that corner of the galaxy, the Perseids were harassed by the wandering stars. They didn't escape this time either, especially since they were accompanied by the youngest and hottest supernova. Soon, a voice called out: wot's ya name, pussycat? What a sexy celestial body you've got; your sparkle strengthens my core; I'd spread my atoms over those sizzlin' big bangs. Just then, the Voyager probe passed by them, and they all shook off the stellar dust and sparkled for the camera, so the Earthlings could see how beautiful they were.
(Translated by Bogdan Macarie / 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.