Cirque De Panicke

He was amazed at this young woman. He could see that she did remind him of himself, but also of someone else. Someone he hadn’t seen in 21 years.

“Ella, could I ask you something?” He finally said.

“Sure.”

“Was your mother called Rosa?”

Ella paled. “How did you know that?”

I knew a woman called Rosa, years ago. You remind me of her.” Gabe paused. “What is your name? Your full name?”

Ella paused. Should she tell them? “Gabriella Rosa Santos. She told me she named me for my dad. I never knew him. And I‘ve always called myself Ella, it‘s much easier.”

Gabe drew in a sharp breath. He excused himself and left the tent, needing fresh air.

Rosa Santos.

A woman who he had almost left the circus for. He had been in love with her, she told him she was in love with him, but then one night, she just left town. 2 days later, the circus also left town.

It was probably for the best. She didn’t know that he was immortal and he was sure how she would take it, even if they were in love.

He had always thought of her, but he would never have imagined that as a result of their short love affair, they would have a daughter.

“Gabe?” He jumped slightly and turned, seeing Ella walking up to him.

“Ella.” He said.

“You knew my mother, didn’t you?” Ella asked, stopping a few feet in front of him. “I could tell by the way you reacted, and that you knew her name obviously.”

“I did know her.” Gabe confirmed. “I loved her.”

“But, you can’t be more than a couple of years older than me, and I also don‘t remember you at all, throughout my whole life, except when you were in the band. How did you know her?”

Gabe wondered for a moment, if this young woman, his daughter, could handle the news he had dreaded to tell Rosa. But the look in her eyes, he knew that he had to.

He told her everything, about their immortality, about what Cirque De Panicke truly was.

“So, you’re like, over 350 years old, there was a threat to you all, so you created the bands and now it’s dead, you’ve gone back to the circus and the bands disappeared?” Ella asked.

“Pretty much yeah.” Gabe said, expecting her to call him mad and run off to the nearest hospital to have him committed.

“Is it strange I believe you?” She asked.

“Really?”

Ella nodded. “Yeah, but there’s something that bugs me. How did you know what my mom’s name was? And why did you run out when you heard my name?”

“Because I was in love with Rosa… and I believe that you are my daughter.”

“…Say what?”