Eastern European Short Stories

It was a rainy, cold September morning. For the first time in weeks the air was chilly. The skies were dark and grey. The atmosphere was misty and gloomy. A blanket of small, yellow leaves on the dark grey cement announces the arrival of fall. Hundreds of little shoes step eagerly over the leaves heading towards the large light blue building hidden behind some chestnut trees. It was the start of a new school year. The hectic of the day starts early in the morning. The youngest pupils, dressed up in their dark blue and white uniforms, rush with their parents to buy a bouquet of flowers for their teachers. And afterwards look for their class and mates on the schoolyard. All classes are present on the basketball field next to the old oak tree right in front of the big entrance. The school is one of the most renowned in Timisoara. The old buildings date all the way back from the late 18 th century. Back then it was only an elementary school. Later it operated as a school for girls a...

Date: July 2007 Location: Gărâna, Trei Ape There is no better cure for the summer heat than attending a music festival deep in the mountains. The yearly Jazz Festival in Gărâna is the perfect weekend getaway in nature. In my teens a longed to get there. All town spoke of the mystical, misty place in the mountains, where half the city gathers for jazz jamming sessions . For me it meant the promise of an adventure away from home, parents and responsibilities. It was a glimpse of freedom. Thus you can only imagine my thrill when S., one of my boyfriends best friends, called us one Saturday morning. "So, you guys are up for 2 days camping in the mountains?" "Damn, sure!" "Great! Get ready. I'll pick you up at noon." So we had 2 hours to pack, get tents, sleeping bags and all the goodies needed for the trip. Needless to say it was a bit of a whirlwind. At noon he picked us up. Another couple joined us too. We filled up S....