At your window, late, I've been watching for ages, waiting for your signal. I've faithfully followed all the instructions, ten steps from the gate is the dog's cage, I avoided it, counted five more, and crawled through the mud to avoid the infrared of the first surveillance camera. When I reached the walnut tree, I counted again and climbed the first three branches, scaling the balcony. Wet and frozen, but happy, I find your window, come in, and only when I wake up in bed with your father do I remember that I should have counted five more steps.
Dan Banu
The prince gently descended on the rope until he reached the window. It was dark. He figured Snow White was still asleep, so he descended further. There was light at Cinderella's place. He knocked, but no one answered, even though the pumpkin was on the balcony. He descended even more. In Juliet's room, there was a big fuss; old Montague was beating old Capulet with his cane. The prince shrank and descended to Ileana Cosânzeana[1], but she was also gone to the village. Weary from all the suspense, he slid down into the mouth of the zmeu[2], who swallowed him.
[1] Ileana Cosânzeana is a character in Romanian mythology. She is represented as a beautiful and good-natured princess or daughter of an emperor, or described as a fairy with immense powers.
[2] the Romanian "zmeu", a character representing the fabulous embodiment of the forces of evil.
Iulia Anastasia Roșca
I sit and hope to catch a glimpse of your silhouette. Because it hurts to see you only in dreams or memories. If I'm lucky enough to see you come out the window to smoke, I will ask you all the questions that tear at my soul. Was I too impatient with you, too inflexible, impulsive, hard to satisfy? Did I create this abyss between us that made you stop wanting to say a word to me? The bedroom light turns on, you appear, and behind you is another, who lovingly takes you in her arms. Hot tears carve paths down my cheeks.
(Translated by Andreea Sorana Oltean / 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.