Ruined

Pompilian Tofilescu
At first, I didn't care. I signaled to the thugs the way we had agreed, took my money, and left. I heard there was a fight afterwards. Anyway, I didn't like him. He was the weakest and whiniest of our gang. Plus, he was always bragging about his dad. The truth is, without his dad, you wouldn't have even given a damn about him. As I was saying, I took my money and left. When my palms started to burn, I realized what I had lost. I realized I had been left broke. Luckily, the rope and the olive tree are free.
 
 Cristina Daniela Dumitru-Pascal
I watched her from behind the slats. She was always alone. She had argued with her family because she didn't want to sell and move in together. What should I do in your house? she had told them. It's too big and too empty. I don't have time to wait to gather memories. They left. She bent over her back. The wall fell on its side. She turned pale. The roof slid down the slope. She sank into the garden, talking. To the walls. Years later, I entered the yard. I pressed my ear against a wall. I waited. It didn't tell me anything. And I understood. Every house has its own story.
 
 Rozalia Cristea
What's all this mess on the floor? shouted the hungover father. These are my toys, the scared child replied. Nuts, bolts, pieces of metal, these rusty keys, screwdrivers without handles - you call these toys? Where did you gather them? From the neighbors' rubble. Your mother says there's no money for a brand new Lego. The man grabbed a broom, swept everything up, and threw it in the trash. Without a tear, without a word, the child watched the scene, ran to his bed, locked himself in, and his childhood crumbled away.

 
(Translated by Teodora Anghelachi / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)