Valerie (An Enjolras Love Story)

Chapter Fifteen

"We are the only barricade left." He said loud enough this time for everyone to hear. Everyone stopped in their tracks to listen to their leader. "The people have not stirred. We are abandoned by those who are still living in fear. Let us not waist lives, let all who wish to, go from here." Enjolras said looking down at the ground. I looked around at all the boys, and no one moved an inch. I grew very silent, until Gavroche started to sing, trying to being faith back into everyone

"Do you hear the people sing, singing the son of angry men. It is the music of the people who will not be slaves again." He started and we all joined in.

"When the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of the drums. There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes." We all sang and I smiled up an Gavroche, he always knew how to make each of us smile. I motioned for him to come to me and he ran down and hugged my leg. I wrapped my arms around him.

"Thank you Gavroche. You are one smart boy you know that?" I whispered to him. He just smiled up at me. I stood back up to talk with Enjolras and Marius.

"Enjolras, we are low on ammunition." Feuilly said.

"There are dead bodies on the other side with plenty of ammunition." Marius said looking between all of us. Enjolras just nodded.

"But who will go and get it? That person will be completely vulnerable when they are on that side." I said. I felt Gavroche pull away from my arms, but I didn't look to see where he was going, I just figure he would be going back over to sit with Courf. "I'll go" I suggested.

"No, I won't allow it" Enjolras looked at me.

"Well what do you expect us to do? We need it." I stood up to him.

"I won't let you do it! I'll go." Enjolras raised his voice.

"Enjolras, no I-." I started but was cut off by a little voice.

"Little people know, when little people fight." My eyes grew wide, that was Gavroche's voice. I ran to the barricade, and started scaling the pile of furniture

"Valerie!" Enjolras called after me but I ignored him. I had to see if Gavroche was alright. I stood next to Combeferre

"We may look easy pickings, but we've got some bite!" I heard Gavroche, as I watched him crawl out of a small hole in the barricade, grabbing a pouch of ammunition off of a nearby soldier.

"Gavroche" Combeferre called to Gavroche, the little boy just turned and smiled up at us and continued on down the street. I looked up to see some soldiers hiding around the corner, watching as Gavroche moved from body to body. Panic started to fill my body.

"Gavroche! Come back!" I called a little louder, but he continued on singing his song.

"So never kick a dog! Because it's just a pup!" He shouted, he was fully aware that there were soldiers just down the road. They fired a shot, hitting a coffin just above his head. I gasped as the shot hit the barricade.

"Gavroche! Come back now!" I called out to him, but he ignored me again.

"We'll fight like twenty armies, and we won't give up!" He shouted, and another shot rang out, this time hitting him in the shoulder.

"Gavroche!" I shouted, this time getting the attention of a few of the other boys. Courfeyrac was the first to respond, climbing to the top of the barricade. When he reached the top, he was horrified with what he saw on the otherside.

"NO GAVROCHE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" He said trying to climb over to the little boy, but was stopped by Combeferre, he wiggled out of his grip, running back down and over to the cart that blocked the entrance, Enjolras and Marius following close behind. I turned back around trying to get Gavroche attention.

"So, you better run for cover!" Gavroche said through gritted teeth as he went to reach for one last pouch. "Because when the pup grows-" Another shot rang out this time hitting him directly in the chest.

"NO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, and ran down the barricade to the entrance with Enjolras, Marius, and Courfeyrac, who had run out to grab Gavroche. He carried him back to our side of the barricade before he and I broke down sobbing over Gavroche little body. "Gavroche, why did you do it! You should have come back! We didn't need that last pouch." I said through sobs as Courfeyrac cradled his body. Combeferre came over and pulled myself and Courf in hugging us tightly as we grieved for Gavroche.

"You at the barricade listen to this!" A shout soared through the air from the other side of the barricade. "You have no chance! No chance at all. Why throw your lives away?" I looked up at everyone crowded around us, finally landing on Enjolras, who had that fire back in his eyes, this time full of anger.

"Let us die, facing our foes." He said. "Make them bleed while we can."

"Make them pay through the nose!" Combeferre added in.

"Make them pay for every man." Courf sobbed. I watched as Enjolras climbed to the top of the barricade, and turned to face us.

"Let others rise to take our place, until the earth is free!" He said turning and pointing his gun at the soldiers. Everyone, including myself followed in suit. I stood between Enjolras and Marius pointing my musket right at the soldier that killed Gavroche.

"CANONS!" The captain shouted and soldiers rolled out three cannons.

I looked between Enjolras and Marius, and there were both just as surprised as I was. We were not at all prepared for canons.

"Aim for the far right first!" Marius commanded.

"FIRE!" Enjolras shouted and we all fired at the last cannon, knocking the soldiers to the ground.

"Their bringing in replacements." Marius shouted.

"SECOND CANNON FIRE!" Enjolras shouted again and we attacked again.

"TAKE AIM!" I heard the captain shouted. We continued to fire at the soldiers, knocking one down here and there, but more seemed to be coming as we would shoot one.

"THERE'S MORE MEN! THERE'S MORE MEN ENJOLRAS!" I heard Combeferre shouting. I turned to look where he was pointing, just as a few soldiers were starting to light the cannon.

"CANON'S READY! FIRE!" The captain shouted, and a canon struck the barricade. We all ducked at it tore through the barricade, shooting debris through the air. Enjolras grabbed on to me and pulled me down with him. He nodded before standing back up to fire at the soldiers again. I stayed hidden, just in case we were hit again, bracing myself for what was to come.

"FIRE!" I heard the captain shout again and another round of cannons tore through the barricade once more, hitting a few of our men. Enjolras grabbed my hand and pulled me down to the bottom of the barricade, panic filling his eyes. "ADVANCE!" The captain orders, and the soldiers started storming the torn apart barricade. Everyone started running and punding on the doors.

"PLEASE! OPEN THE DOOR!" Jean and Combeferre shouted at the pounded on one of the apartment doors. Enjolras ran over to them and pulled them by their shirt into the café.

"WE NEED TO BARRICADE THE DOOR!" Combeferre shouted. Enjolras turned towards me as the started piling the bit of intact furniture against the entrance to the café.

"Valerie, my love. We don't have much time. Go through that door, and at the back of the café there is a back stairwell to the second floor. Go up there and wait for me! You will be safe there. Take the boys with you." He said holding my shoulders. I just nodded giving him a quick kiss before quickly running to the back with Courfeyrac, Combeferre Jehan, and Feuilly. We climbed the back stairs, once we reached the top We all huddled in the center of the room to protect each other. I heard some crashing from the floor below. Enjolras! I thought to myself and went to go run back down the stairs to find him, but before I could, gunshots rang through the floor, and I turned to watch as my friends collapsed to the floor.

"No! No no no no!" I ran over to them, but it was too late. I heard some footsteps coming up the stairs and turned to see if it was Enjolras. I stood and turned around, my breath getting caught in my lungs.

"Andre..."