Les Miserables Love Story: Patria

Chapter Thirty Three: When Tomorrow Comes

A sharp whistle broke into the air and Marius heaved aside an armoire to let me pass through the barricade. As soon as I entered, he immediately bombarded me with our most recent trouble, as if I could take any more burdens onto my shoulders.

"Enjolras, the rain's damaged the gunpowder, we're low on ammunition." He said lowly said as if to keep it a secret. I could tell by the way that the other amis stared at me helplessly that it was no surprise.

At first, I said nothing, because I was hoping to feel nothing just for a moment. The heavy loss of Patria was already something I could not bear on my strength alone. My attempt to remain numb was hopeless, I could in no way press myself from the tormenting thoughts that bellowed in my head. What if I fail? What if their army attacks or multiplies? What if the people turn against us? What if we lose another man?

"We're the only barricade left," I informed Marius. I hoped to disguised the discouragement in my voice, but it was still evident.

"What?" Marius exclaimed in disbelief, fear expanding within him as wide as his pupils.

I swallowed and looked at him directly, noticing the other revolutionaries gathering around to harken unto my quivering voice. "We're the only ones left." I said again. "The people have not stirred, not like we expected. We're abandoned by those who still live in fear. Let us not waste lives, let all who wish to go on from this point."

There was a long moment of silent in which I anticipated the exit of my friends, but we all remained as still as we were silent until one small, callow voice sang out that could only belong little Gavroche.

"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men!"

Bossuet had been focused in Gavorche and then turned to us and began to sing along. A smile teased at Jehan's lips and he sang along. Combeferre gave me a reassuring slap on the shoulder.

"It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!"

We were all singing again, perhaps with not as much power as yesterday at the funeral for General Lamarque, but with solemn resemblance of it.

"When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums,

There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!"

The moment the song ended was when we placed our focus onto the task at hand. Marius, Combeferre, Jehan and I were standing in a slight circle and debating over what we ought to do. I noticed that Courfeyrac was sleeping near the edge of the barricade. Even in his rest, I could tell he was worn down. I decided not to wake him but to let him rest while he could.

"Enjolras, we need more ammunition," Feuilly informed me again. I nodded weakly, staring at a stain of blood on the cobblestone.

"I'm going into the alleys," Marius said, "they'll be bodies there; dry ammunition, our powder's wet through."

Combeferre nodded. "We need to tally up what guns we have and round everything up. Perhaps some of the other barricades will have remnant weapons." He turned and began to scale the barricade, but he stopped and pressed her ear out to the distance. His face became devoid of color and his eyes widened. Then I heard it.

"Little people know when little people fight. We may look easy pickins' but we got some bite!" Gavroche sang out.

A soldier fixed his aim on the little revolutionary. I rushed towards the front of the barricade. My heart painfully stopped at the sight of the armada before us. Not Gavroche! They wouldn't dare hurt a child, would they?

Then again, we were all children at this barricade, mere schoolboys wielding guns in shaking fists. There was no telling what these soldiers would do.