We sit on the sand and pretend to admire the sunset. You place a broken shell in my palm. Then, your whole heart. You build me an ideal world, naturally. We built a house, walked unknown paths guided by butterflies, climbed mountains without ropes, passionately made love until exhaustion. We were happy until we weren't. You disappeared for a while until you missed me, then you returned and told me you wanted to start over. Now we sit on the sand and pretend to admire the sunset.
Cristian Nedelcu
I was happy, I could hardly wait to get home and tell him. I had never met a man like him; I was head over heels in love. Caring and loving, he knew what to say when I needed comfort, but he also knew how to listen when I wanted to vent. I trusted him implicitly. When he was gone it hit me like a truck. Then, total shock: not only was he gone, but so were all my life savings. I felt life draining out of me. I only had two red lines left.
Andreea Mihaela Murariu Moldovanu
My father is 73 years old. I see him twice a year. I take a pen and start calculating on the corner of a utility bill. He installed the outlets in the house. He asked me what appliances I would have in the kitchen. I looked at him and didn't understand. Come on, you have to have a plan for everything if you want to succeed. I have 9 double outlets in the kitchen. They all have their place. Now I'm doing a simple addition. Another 10 years with him means I'll see him 20 more times. Dad, when you're no longer here, who will charge my batteries? You haven't thought about that.
(Translated by Miruna Dumitru / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by prof. dr. Nadina Vișan / Edited by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.