EVANGELINE

Evangeline left the circus at 6 a.m. Just when it was starting to get light, and her body was recovering its original appearance. Evangeline was one of the few souls in sorrow whom Lucifer had not had to change his real appearance to make them look more attractive. She was always beautiful. Her long black hair and brown eyes had always been a source of admiration for the Knights. However, she always rejected any man who approached her, for she was waiting for her true love, a man she could feel attracted to from the first moment.

She met her husband one summer afternoon as she was on her way to the market. The breeze blew his hat off, and he helped her find it. She was desperately looking around, as that was her favorite hat. Without her noticing it, he approached her and started looking at her. Just by looking at it, her body shook, and she knew she was looking at the love of her life.

With such a beautiful love story, how it is that now she was dead, enslaved by Lucifer and most unlucky of all, far from her love. Evangeline thought as she went to the nearest town in search of an old soul that wanted to sell his soul to Lucifer.

Before she reached the village, it started raining scandalously, and Evangeline had no other choice but to take refuge under a tree. Soaked with water and very cold, the poor girl was there until the rain stopped. She couldn't get to the village like that. No one would listen to her. She thought about returning to the circus, but that was no longer an option; it was very far away.

"Are you lost?" asked a young man passing in a carriage.

Evangeline began to cry in dismay. This was her chance to find some dry clothes and get back on her feet.

"That's right, sir. I was going somewhere with my parents, but some people attacked us and stole the carriage. I woke up here. I don't know where my parents are."

"Poor girl. Come with me. my house is in the village. After we are there, I will see how I can help you."The young man seemed very moved and disconcerted by the situation in which that young lady was.

Evangeline got into the stranger's carriage, which immediately gave her his jacket to protect her from the cold. As she looked at the landscape on the road, for a moment, she felt as if she were alive again. She imagined that the boy who had so kindly helped her was her beloved husband Brendan and that they were going to have a picnic on the river bank, as was their custom every Saturday afternoon.

During the whole trip, none said anything because although she was unable to sleep, Evangeline pretended to do so. She wanted to avoid any kind of uncomfortable question. When she arrived at the house, the young man helped her out of the carriage and diligently took her to her room. A small, lifeless room next to the kitchen.

"You can stay here until you get better." Evangeline nodded and lowered her face.

"My name is Arvel." The young man said with a smile before he left.

Evangeline undressed and threw herself on the bed. She looked around her entire body, not a stain on it. Although he looked the same, that was no longer his body. She knew very well that hers, had already been devoured by worms until they only left the bones.

She constantly saw herself in the coffin in which she had been buried. While her body remained inert, she watched as dirt was thrown on it, and minutes later, it swelled and turned black. White worms came out of her mouth and spread everywhere, eating her flesh and drinking her spirit. All this while his body remained inert.

She died just three days after his 19th birthday. She never accepted her death. That's why every night, she cried in a desperate attempt to wake up from such a horrible nightmare. Although death is felt in your bed and lulls you to sleep, you are never prepared to die.

Evangeline was still lying in bed when Arvel knocked at her door. It was night, and the rain had come apparently, a storm was coming.

"Dinner is ready," he said, and then his footsteps were heard moving away from the door.

Evangeline put on her dress, which was still wet, but she had nothing else to wear. By night she had become a circus freak again, but because the dress she was wearing was long, it was easy for her to hide her two extra legs.

The dining room was alone, so Evangeline sat down comfortably. After a few minutes, Arvel arrived. There were many other chairs at the table, but he decided to sit right next to her. For a moment, Evangeline felt afraid, was unprotected. However, she soon realized that she was already dead, had nothing to fear.

"You haven't told me your name," said Arvel as he poured the shy girl a glass of wine.

"Evangeline," whispered the girl.

"Ah, Evangeline. What a mystical and sensual name," said Arvel, and then he took Evangelin by the chin. "Don't you think so?

Evangeline ducked her head.

"You know, you're not the first girl I've brought into this house. There are many girls in the village interested in marrying me for my money. They pretend to be evicted because they know I'm a nice guy. They just want to take advantage of me, just like you."

Evangeline looked at the ground, listened to everything Arvel said.

"Tell me, Evangeline, do you also want to take advantage of me?" asked the young man with a mischievous smile on his face.

Evangeline stood up from the table and went to her room. Everything had become very strange. She sat up on the bed and let her hair down. She was about to take off her dress when someone opened the door... it was Arvel.

"Can I come in?" Asked.

Evangeline said nothing.

"But what do I say, I'm at home, I can go wherever I want."

Evangeline said nothing.

"Let me help you get out of that dress," said Arvel as he approached Evangeline.

Arvel pounced on Evangeline and pulled down the top of her dress, exposing her breasts. The girl began to scream, but who would hear the cries of a soul in distress.

While it was raining tormentingly, Evangeline was struggling not to let the back of her dress come off. However, she was already exhausted, so she gave up. What good is integrity to a dead woman? When Arvel managed to tear off her dress completely, he was stunned to see the girl's four legs. He fell on his face to the ground. Evangeline took advantage of this moment and ran naked into the street.