Loss – By Danijela Trajković

I’m back in the village. And, of course, it is always my aunt that I encounter. We meet outside. She invites me to come into the house. She goes away. I’m staying. Looking around. There is her stove outside. She cooks here every summer. Only this time the stove is oddly away from home. I’m opening the oven.

Inside is a hamper full of nice-grown, snow-dusted donuts. Yes, they have always eaten well! I’m taking one to eat. However, this donut is made of the flour which they receive from our fields, as well.

I’m looking at the house. A meadow divides us. There are two women from the village sitting outside. And my cousin is here with her children, visiting her parents and brother. At the front door appears her brother. Whom to visit?! Nervously I’m sitting on an old, rickety bench, which is trying to overthrow me. Alas, the sting! I’m jumping. It’s not I guess from the rusty nail? Oh, good! No blood.

But, no finger, too!

About the author:

Danijela Trajković  (1980) graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy in Kosovska Mitrovica at the Department of English Language and Literature. She writes short stories, essays, literary criticism and translates. Published by literary magazines and newspapers: Istok, Zlatna greda, Sent, Koraci, Trag, Sustina poetike, Eckermann, Bagdala, Vecernje novosti etc. (Serbia); Srpska vila (Republika Srpska); Poem (UK), Picaroon Poetry (UK). She is currently working on the book Selection from Contemporary Anglophone Poetry, which will come out of the press in Spring 2018. She lives and works in South Serbia.