Water seeped out from under his door, and no one went in to see what was happening. "The boss knows, said the subordinates. The thin trickle of water turned into torrents, spilling out through the palace windows. The people, wearing boots, carried on calmly with their tasks. The water level rose until it matched that of the lake behind the dam, which was supplying the capital. The production of boats and oars restored the nation's economy. During the Victory Day's parade, the troops swam in perfect formation, saluting the Official Pontoon, where the Great Leader proudly displayed his shimmering scales.
Florentina Ghițescu
At first, it seemed like a joke, a small puddle to jump into with both feet, something to remind you of childhood. When he was ankle-deep in water, he built an elevated path. When it reached his waist, he told himself he could live with it. You get used to wet shoes, maybe even toss them away, progress might be slower, but you keep moving forward. When the water reached his chest, he could no longer walk and focused solely on breathing. Life didn't give up, so he braced himself to face it with faith.
Ramona Ungureanu
The first time he cheated on her, she cried for three days. Boats of joy, smiles, and hand-holding floated by and sank beneath waves of tears. Many hopes that didn't know how to swim, drowned. Then she got used to it. She'd ask where he'd been, coming home so late and smelling so lovely. He'd softly spin a tale, inventing as he went on talking, about crossing two valleys and three fields of poppies to bring her those flowers. Picked from outside their apartment block. He became so crafty in his storytelling that he started to enjoy it, so he collected all his crafted lies and published them as a children's book.
(Translated by Maria Loredana Constantin / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)
Versiunea în română a acestui text se poate citi aici, în rubrica Ficțiuni Reale.