Before the Barricades Arise

Chapter 11

My feet are moving before my brain can register what I'm doing. I sprint down the stairs as fast as I can.

This did not just happen. Gavroche is not dead.

I run out the front door and see Enjolras, Marius, Grantaire and Courfeyrac kneeling beside Gavroche.

Courfeyrac is weeping like a little baby and is cradling Gavroche in his arms.

I join the group on the ground and Marius immediately reaches for me and pulls me into a tight embrace. I cry on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry 'Ponine." He says through his tears after a few minutes.

"This is my fault. I was supposed to protect him." Courfeyrac sobs.

Enjolras says nothing but there are tears in his eyes.

"It's no one's fault." I choke out. "He knew what he was getting into."

"The thing is Eponine, none of us were too keen on the idea of Gavroche being in on the revolution since he was so young. But he was so enthusiastic and willing to do anything, so Enjolras said he could stick around and I was told to keep an eye on him. I was in charge of him." Grantaire explained and he starts crying again.

"I don't blame you. Any of you." I say.

"I never should have let him join us," Enjolras mutters under his breath.

I can see that he is struggling to be the strong, fearless leader of the rebellion.

I reach over and squeeze Enjolras' hand.

"If it makes you feel better, he died brave. He did well." Enjolras says to me.

We are quiet and take in that there is still fighting going on all around us.

"This has to end right now." Grantaire says through his tears "Make them pay for every man!"

Marius grabs a torch and starts climbing the barricade.

At the top of the barricade, there is a barrel of gunpowder.

"STOP!" Marius hollers at us.

"GET BACK," Marius shouts.

The French army is not listening by the looks of it.

Marius takes the torch and lowers it towards the barrel.

"HALT!" yells the French General.

"Move and I blow the barricade." Marius threatens.

"Blow it up and take yourself with it." The General counters.

"And myself with it." Marius says and lowers the torch closer to the gunpowder.

Finally, I hear the General yell, "RETREAT!"

Marius climbs down the barricade. We all let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on, let's put him with the others," Marius says.

Enjolras picks up Gavroche and carries him around to the side of the café and lays him down carefully with the others who gave their lives for freedom.

"Can I have a minute alone?" I say to the others.

"Of course," Enjolras says.

"I'll meet you inside," Marius whispers and kisses my forehead.

Once I'm alone, I break down and start crying again.

"Gav, baby, I'm so sorry." I whimper. "I didn't want any of this to happen to you."

I wipe away my tears.

"I'm proud of you for fighting for what you believe in." I cry.

I straighten out his clothes and hair a little bit.

"I love you," I whisper as I wrap my arms around him and kiss him on the forehead.

I stand up and wipe off my tear-streaked face and head back into the café where the others are.

Marius greets me inside and he pulls into his arms and holds me close. He knows that I've been crying.

"Joly, can we get two glasses of water please?" Marius asks.

"Sure, just a minute," Joly replies.

Marius leads me over to the table in the corner.

"I really am sorry." Marius apologizes.

"It's not your fault," I tell him.

"I failed to protect him and I promised you I would." He tries.

I put my head in my hands.

"I just didn't want to lose him." I cry. "I don't have any family anymore."

"But you have me," Marius says putting a hand on my shoulder.

I give him a sad sort of smile.

"I lost Gavroche. I won't lose you too. I can't lose two Thenardier's." he says to me.

Joly comes over with two glasses of water and some crackers.

"Thank you, monsieur," I say to him.

"I'm sorry about Gavroche," Joly says. "He was such a brave, strong kid."

"Yeah, he was," I say.

"How are you doing, Marius?" Joly asks him.

"I'm alright." He replies.

"Good. I've got to get back to tending to the wounded." Says Joly and leaves us.

"It's good you've got Joly around," I say. "He's helped a lot of people."

"Including you, of course," Marius says.

"Yes, including me."

"He's studying to be a doctor, you know," Marius tells me.

"He'd make a great doctor. He's good at this." I say.

"I agree."

Then Enjolras comes over.

"How are you guys holding up?" he asks.

"Okay, I suppose," I say.

Enjolras nods.

"Do you need us to do anything?" Marius asks.

"No, you two should go upstairs and rest. You've been through a lot already today."

"Thank you for your compassion, Enjolras. If you need anything at all, Joly knows where my room is. You can find us there." I tell him

"Don't do anything too crazy," Enjolras says, winking at Marius.

Marius just rolls his eyes and takes me by the hand and leads me upstairs.