R39

I love roads. I could spend my entire life in car. I remember the time when I was driving through north of Italy towards Switzerland. Not a single euro in my pocket, don't have money to pay the toll. Italians have those electronic payment system. No stopping, they just zip through the gate. I set my car just before the toll and wait. When Italian car zooms through I slip behind. I rode the gates all the way to Milan. Then I turned north. Wonderful roads. Four-five tracks in each direction. All vacant. I step on the gas and observe the snowy peaks slowly rising above the plains. Marvelous vistas. But devoid of life. I waited for several hours before someone showed up to help me ride the toll gate. I can't go back. Dusk brings young Italian girl in her Volvo. As soon as I am through I sigh in relief. As if I can already sense the sharp cold air of Swiss mountains.

R38

Lars the Fox kissed his wife and left the shack. Pulling tighter straps of his backpack, he smiled at this summer day. Walking past the Cat's home he wistled. Parting the beaded strings, head of mrs Murrrmitah appeared. She smiled and waved.

- Give me a moment to leave breakfast for my Buzzan, then we are off. Um... where are we going today, again?
- I thought we should visit the ridge, that's where I left off yesterday...

Murrmitah nodded and again disappeared behind the strings. She showed up before Lars had time to roam too far. She found him next to cart wagon of mr. Through

- Greetings mr. Moussey - she meowed.

Light cart were pulled by two fluffy bee-beast bulls and grayfurred mouselike Through struggled to keep his giant bees balanced and steady.

- Bless your heart - he squeaked.
- Don't worry, master Thro', we will be on the ridge if you need us - said Lars.

Murrmitah was already hurrying up the path that was taking her to the northern slopes. She didn't like bee-beasts, but she was too proud to admit that she is actually afraid of them. "That fur... is somehow... ungodly... ewww", she thought for herself.

- Then, see you round - Fox yelled back at mr Moussey and rushed to catch up with his friend.

R37

Creature lumbered out of the forest. Even slouched it was taller then a tallest man. Dark skin of chestnut color seemed covered with lumps and bumps. Jawline had mossy hair crawling all over. Eyes were slanted and beady, bloodshot and his nose thin and elongated so the tip was over its mouth. Purple tongue flickered between rows of pointy teeth.

Guards were terrified. Falling over each other. Spilling the cauldron. Campfire hissed with plumes of smoke.

Teacher calmly put away his bowl and stick. Kira jumped to her feet, losing her cardigan. With smash and gurgling, troll slammed against the city walls. Teacher rushed towards the beast. Kira watched as guards were scampering to escape, then started trotting after her teacher.

R36

You entered my dreams by cutting the queue. I barely even know you. We are bound by death of a woman that was dear to both of us. To you, actually the best friend. To me just an acquaintance, but of that kind that leaves a deep mark.

You remember me from the high school, but I don't recall you. Only later I did manage to remember that bubbly blonde crazy girl, as I could not believe that the lady in pink suit is the same person. Back then you were not a dream, but reality, though unusual, almost surreal.

It was an awkward meeting. Your best friend is the main character of my novel. I didn't know that she was no longer alive, while I was weaving her into the other side of reality, her name unrevealed by the magic of writing. To you she was almost everything, to me almost nothing. And yet, her personality touched me and inspired me to make her home within letters and words. She was moving unrestrained between this and the other realities, while you and me were separated by invisible weaving that connected us. We were groping for a crack, trying to find a point of connection. Something that would make it easier for you to approach. Something that will alleviate my impression that I'm the worst scum you've ever encoutered.

Maybe I am that rogue. Maybe that's why I let you in my dream. Maybe it wasn't even your frist time to encroach it...

R35

We came together. You yelled something. I groaned. Now we are just laying in the bed, crumpled. I am happy. Becuase you are so juicy. Because you know when to bite and where. Because you have curly hair that smells of nettle shampoo. Beacuse you wear those soft fabric shirts wide enough so I can see your ample bosom. Because you are beautiful only to me.

You reach for something and produce a cigarette. I look at you, slightly taken aback. You light your ciggy and thirstily take a drag. You smile at my astonished face.

"You didn't know that I'm a smoker?" you ask.
I shake head, no.

"You know nothing", you sigh.
I shrug and smile, slightly embarrased.

"Do you know how long we are together?" you ask me.
My smile disperses like smoke of your cigarette.

"Do you know what's my favorite movie? What's my favorite food? What's my sister's name?"
"I know that" I hurry to confirm.
"What else do you know?"
Your cigarette's ashes end up in glass next to our bed. I frown. This is not like you. That much I know.

"Do you even know how old I am?"
I guess you are my age. We went to same elementary school, later we went to different high schools, but we enrolled at uni in the same time.

"We can't go on like this", you say after long pause.
"Biljana, what did I do wrong? What's the matter?"
"I don't want to live next to you like a ghost."
"What are you talking about... we are a couple, we're having fun."
"Only it's no longer so fun for me"
"Oh don't be like that, I'll improve."
"You said that for my birthday, and nothing changed."
"What do you mean, some things did change, didn't they?"
"I am going to finish my uni and you are what... still at your first year?"
"...second."
"I can't carry you any more."

More than the fact that you are leaving me, hurts the fact that I know what you mean. Being left I will deal with later, while I will be running down the riverside trying to spit out ball of searing lava that will be rumbling up an down my lungs.

R34

Someone would say that the appartment was silent. You can, however, hear the pendulum of the clock. Ticking off big chunks of seconds. Tiny ones are being coutned by the clock in the stove. Besides, the chair is squeaking, thin frail woman sitting on it. She reads a book and from time to time pushes her glasses up to ridge of her nose. It's Anna. She wears pink bunny slippers. Wearing no socks, and since she had hair removal recently, her is smooth, almost glistening. If it wasn't so thin and boney, it would be considered widely as rather pretty feminine leg. She wears woolen dress of light color reaching to her knees. Old fashioned, but practical and comfy. Her black knitted cardigan covers pale plush PJ top which once was yellow.

She is going to sit like this for hours.

I will open the door and enter the appartment. I will hang my coat and put away my businsess bag. I will be exhausted. I will try to be cheerful. My smile will be banged up, but polite. I will ask what's for dinner. I will not wait for an answer. I wil go to the kitchen pretending I don't hear horrendous chopping of seconds that stove clock is doing. I will also overlook the fact that fridge has been raided clean and that someone who was tasked to go grocery shopping didn't go do it. From this and that I will whip up an omelette. I will bring it to living room. I will eat at the table. Anna will ask to bring her plate next to her rocking chair. She will eat only half. I will carry the leftovers in the kitchen and eat them there. I will put away dishes on the pile of dishes in the sink. Smashed, but smilig, I will move to bathroom. I will have long shower. Made dizzy by heat, I will sneak in the bed, next to frigid Anna.

And that's why we neve were a couple.

R33

It was surprising to me that you agreed to date me after all the years. Maybe something made you realize I'm not that uncool guy. I did enroll in that experimental high school, and you were so hyped about those kind of achievements, though you did date jocks. Maybe it was the attention. Sometimes I would get overboard, I give you that, but still. Every day I was feeding you with reasons to feel like a goddess. Maybe it was your calculating shrewdness. You figured out that I would be good and loyal husband. But even at our dates, we were not boyfriend and girlfriend. Since that first moment when we met at the university and went for a cup of coffee. We never kissed in the darkness, and you never let me cup your breasts. Not even when we moved in and when we didn't break that club table when we didn't roll off the bed. It was all just a fulfilling of form. Though it seemed real it was just railroaded journey. You didn't mind the absence of passion. I didn't mind that we didn't end it all. Behind the passion there were two powerful thigs to keep us glued. Your calculation and my hope. Stupid hope that something will change. That you will see me. Or that desire I was harboring for you nearly decade and half will finally be quenched. Maybe both of us should have been smarter. Couple that met in the elementary school? Isn't that a recipe for a disaster of Hollywood proportions? I don't know, maybe for some people that's recipe for success, but they cling to each other dearly. I did get what I desired, but it was not what I wanted. So long once more time and good bye my sweet stupid coutnry girl.