She woke up with the feeling that someone else was in the room with her. She pulled the sheet over her head to muster up courage. She could hear its breathing closer and closer. She could smell the cheap tobacco. It was that close. Then, it moved away from her until it almost disappeared. When she finally found the courage, she pulled the sheet off, got out of bed, and approached him. When she was less than an arm's length away, she pressed the big, red nose. And then, he started to sing and prance, like at the circus.
Lucian Pătru
Two, two-ten. Hello, Earth, can you hear me? This is Striped Scoundrel. Erika, Erika. While I was handling some business outside the module... what business? Number one, of course. Anyway, I discovered traces of death on this planet, the lead cosmonaut shouted into the receiver, holding a rusty scythe tip in his rubber-gloved hands. Visibility is low, the fog is so thick you couldn't cut it with a great sword, so we might be delayed. Luckily, we've got plenty of puffed corn snacks for the journey back, we'll need them. And then, the sound of a coin dropping into the slot, followed by the solemn tune of Coco Jambo.
Yuka Brevi
Thinking about what's happening in the world nowadays... wars, plagues, pollution... without realizing it, I devoured the entire pot of beans and sausages. Being a refined guy, I pretend to fall asleep on the narrow couch in the living room. Sleep comes quickly, and alone, in these harsh conditions, without the blanket that had folded itself into an accordion on the floor, I dream that I am along with many of my country fellows in a cramped room. There's no air, explosions echo in the distance, and a toxic smell fills the space. I see a red button labeled EXIT. I press it desperately. It's broken.
(Translated by Constantin Grigorescu / 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.