They say the people around you give you value, otherwise, you're just a nobody on the street. Oh really, but it's infusible, they give it to you by syringe? Spare me the nonsense. So you've decided to stress me out in every single life. One wasn't enough for you, no sir, let's tear through another one. And what even is value? What's that? We use big words to make ourselves feel big. Your value only rises in other people's eyes when you're dead. When they see you toes-up. Anyway, let's go, they're calling us to eat. Happy Thanksgiving. Will they give something to us? No,let them eat us, so I can finally be rid of you.
Anca Chimoiu
All grandparents talk about a revolution. Grandma never spoke about Grandpa, he was a taboo subject. Only once did she show me his name in a book about the 1907 revolution. As if nothing had happened since, as if humanity hadn't gone through two world wars. Now people speak of before and after as if it were the most natural thing. But before, this wouldn't have been possible. Some say we died for nothing. I really don't know. From here, from the roadside cross where I rest, all I can see is an endless line of cars.
Carmen-Ecaterina Ciobâcă
I avoided mirrors and hated profile pictures: my long nose, my massive, almost masculine chin. And yet, they hunted me, sniffed me out, undressed me slowly, gazed at me like a work of art, their fingers got through my hair, their hands caressed my skin, I felt their hot breath in the most secret places. In the arms of men, I died and was reborn. Beyond that, I read, I smoked, I wrote. I look at my reflection in the water: yes, I am ugly. Soon, swan wings will grow from my back, and I will sing in a broken tongue.
(Translated by Iulia-Mihaela Țugulea / 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.