If You're Reading This, You Have Been Chosen

Ana Maria Dobre-Nir
After the ninth artificial solstice, when language had become illegal, the message appeared on every glossy surface. Some believed it was a glitch. Others, a trap. But Elian knew. Reading wasn't just forbidden, it was impossible. No one could understand letters anymore. No one, except him. The following night, the words appeared on his skin, one by one, burned like red-hot iron. By morning, he was no longer a man. He was a walking sentence. And everyone stopped to read it. When they reached the end, their eyes bled.

Adina Colțea
She used to write down thoughts on little notes and leave them along her path, around the house. Meaningful thoughts, ones that made you smile and feel that you had a purpose in this world. She'd stumble upon them by chance while making breakfast or tidying up, and she would smile as if it mattered. Invisible wings would grow on her back, and faith would bud in her heart like cherry blossoms on branches. Love is within us, she would show, laughing, to the people she met, and their faces would brighten for a few moments, moments she believed made the heart of the planet skip a beat.

Cristian Palade
Riding his chestnut steed, Prince Charming galloped toward the world beyond. He had learned from his father that the other world lay across seas and lands, at the end of all realms. In less than two hours, they had left behind no fewer than three realms, four seas, and six countries. By dusk, the prince and his steed finally arrived at the end, but not the one they had hoped for, rather the end of their patience. Frustrated, Prince Charming burst out: I disown this story. Let the reader continue it and find a fitting ending, within the character limit, for heaven's sake.

 
(Translated by Claudia Garofina Greculeac / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by prof. dr. Nadina Vișan, coordinator of the translations / Edited by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)