The Beating of Your Heart

Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

MY FIRST INSTINCT IS TO PROTECT HER.

I take a step forward but I instantly feel her hand on my arm, grasping it tight.

"Enjolras, don't," she whispers harshly.

The other soldiers have arrived by now, cramming the corridor space. There's no way out. There's no escape.

"Now," the soldier starts. "What I'd like to know is how you, Jondrette girl, got Enjolras on your side."

She stays silent, though her grip on my arm tightens.

"Oh, come on, Jondrette girl. I must say, this is the first time I've seen you tongue-tied."

"She has a name," I say through gritted teeth.

The soldier raises an eyebrow as he turns to look at me.

"Why yes, yes she does. However, names are for people. And I believe that a girl without humanity is not a person."

I can feel Eponine tense beside me. I know she does some bad things, but I believe in her, in her humanity. Inside is just a scared little girl trying to find a place in her papa's world.

"She has triple the humanity you'll ever have," I let out.

The soldier immediately loses his grin. I can feel his stare like swords on me.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I lost my humanity when I joined the National Guard. Maybe I lost it when I held a gun for the first time in my hands."

My eyes are locked on his hands, casually playing with his gun.

"Maybe," he says. "Maybe I never had one."

It all happened so fast. Him raising his gun at Eponine. Me jumping on her, tackling her to the ground. The gun going off. And then the silence. The dreadful silence.

"Hmm, maybe I was wrong," the soldier finally says. "Maybe it wasn't her, but you."

I look down and see a red stain forming on my stomach. I look up at the soldier as I fall back on the ground. I'm staring at the ceiling now. My vision's getting blurry.

But I can hear it.

I can hear her voice.

"Enjolras!"

I can feel my shoulders being shaken. It's her. She is going to save me. And suddenly, it all stops. She's being dragged away. I want to grab her hand, reach out to keep her here, with me, but I can't move.

"Don't worry," the soldier says. "You'll see her in the afterlife very soon."

And then she's just gone. They're all gone. He's going to kill her, and I can't do anything about it.

I try to fight it, to fight death, but I'm losing blood too fast. I'm losing my strength. I'm losing this battle. Soon, I won't be able to breathe anymore. And then my heart will stop. The beating will stop.

This is the end.

This is my end.