A LONG WAIT

The day of the final show arrived, all the freaks came on stage, putting special care into their presentation. The audience screamed with astonishment and fear. They had never witnessed anything so wonderfully frightening.

For her part, Evangeline looked carefully at each person in the audience. Since that day, she had never seen again the man who looked so much like her beloved and who she was almost sure was him. She wondered why he had not returned. If that man was really Brendan, he must have come back for her.

When the show was over, the freaks set out to pack everything up. The next day they would be traveling to another town. They had to have everything ready to leave when the sun showed its first ray of light.

Evangeline was on her way to her tent when she heard someone calling her name. She turned her face immediately, for she could recognize the voice that was calling her. She was going to say something, but the person who was calling her took her by the arm and started running. Evangeline did not try to stop that person. They stopped at the stream that was now completely frozen.

"Are you really Evangeline? My beloved wife?" asked the man with tears in his eyes. It was Brendan.

"Yes, it is me." Evangeline had several insults to say to Brendan. She was so angry because so soon after her death, he had already found another woman. However, when she saw his beautiful eyes looking at her, she could not say anything else. Brendan hugged her tightly and cried for joy on her shoulder.

"I love you. I have never stopped thinking about you." He said.

"There are no words that can describe what my heart feels for you." She said. Fine crystalline tears rolled down her cheeks and flowed into her chest.

"This must be a dream. How is it that you are here? You are as young and beautiful as the day you died."

"I learned of the covenant you made with Lucifer; I gave my soul to Lucifer in exchange for yours. Now I am doomed to wander for all eternity as a freak in this cursed circus. I loved you so much that I didn't mind losing everything for you to live."

"You should not have done that. You shouldn't have. That was my destiny, and I was willing to accept it so I could be by your side."

"You know my love, what hurt me more. I felt so much desolation in dying alone, waiting for your arrival. So deep was that wound that even now, I can feel the cuts of loneliness in my chest.

"I tried to be on time that day, but when I returned home, death had already taken you from this world. I do not ask you to forgive me, for I have never been able to forgive myself."

"Honey, it wasn't your fault," said Evangeline as she tenderly caressed the cheek of her beloved.

"Runaway with me, and I will accompany you until the rest of my days. I know that my remaining years are few, but I want to be by your side."

"Don't say that you are still very young."

"You say that because you love me, but what do you say? Will you run away with me?"

"I want it more than anything, but I could never lie to you. Three reasons prevent me from going with you." Evangeline said, turning away from Brendan.

"What? What are they?"

"I was tainted, outraged to the point of exhaustion. I feel dirty. I am dead, but I have no more dignity. Evangeline expressed herself with a serious countenance.

"Who dared to do such a thing to you? I will kill them. I swear I will make them pay." Brendan was so upset, tormented by the knowledge that his wife had had to experience such a barbaric act. He blamed himself for not being there to help her.

"It doesn't matter anymore. You won't be able to find them. We're very..." Brendan did not let Evangeline finish the sentence and embraced her tightly, placing Evangeline's head on his chest.

"If death does not impede our being together, neither will this be. For me, you are the same Evangeline, and nothing that happens will make me forget that."

"Not even the fact that I am forbidden to leave this circus. If I escape from here, Lucifer will find me no matter where I go. The punishment for both will be terrible. I would not dare expose you in that way."

"I am willing to take the risk."

"You have no idea what you are talking about. Lucifer's cruelty knows no bounds."

"My love for you has no limits."

"Yes, it does. Who was that woman who accompanied you to the first show? Is she your wife?"

"Yes, it is. I appreciate her very much, but I don't love her. It took me a long time to get used to your death. I met her after you left. She understood the state I was in and married me. She has been by my side for many years."

"Years? But I died just a few months ago. Why do you lie to me?" Evangeline asked, upset.

"No, Evangeline. You are confused. Look at me and tell me if I look like the Brendan you knew?" After saying these words, he placed Evangeline's hands on his face.

Evangeline looked at him carefully. His eyelids were drooping, and she could see in his eyes the weariness of the years. She gently ran her hands over every wrinkle and caressed his pale skin.

"How long has it been?" whispered Evangeline.

"You've been dead for over forty years. Forty years in which I have yearned for you every day and cried in dismay every night. However, that does not compare with what you have had to endure."

Evangeline fell on her face to the ground. Her whole head was spinning. She could not understand how she had been dead for so long. She could remember as if it were yesterday that she died. The day she arrived at the circus and everything that happened after that. It had only been a few months.

Brendan sat down on the floor next to her and placed his head on her legs.

"I thought you knew. How sad I feel. So deep has your pain been that you can't even remember what you've been through?" Brendan said trying to comfort her.

"Go, go now." Said Evangeline.

"What? I can't leave." Brendan replied.

"You must. It is too dangerous for you to be here."

"I don't care."

"I do care. That's why I'm asking you to leave. I promise that we will meet again. I will get out of my deal and look for you no matter where you are.

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

After that, Evangeline and Brendan put their lips together for the kiss they had both been longing for 40 years.