Beyond The Barricade | les misérables

five

I stood in the room surrounded by the group. I stood by listening to various conversations as they all happened around me.

"How uncomfortable is that?" Courfeyrac asked, pointing at my corset.

"Very."

He nodded and looked forward.

"You're very good at this, you know? This whole idea is yours."

"It's not entirely mine," I said.

"It is. We're lucky to have you, Hyacinth."

I smiled at him and put my hands on my waist.

"You're right. You're very lucky to have me," I joked.

Courfeyrac laughed, looking at me. Before he could say anything else, a voice broke through the crowd and silenced them all.

"Alright boys," Enjolras said.

"And girl!" Gavroche added. I smiled down at him as some chuckled.

"Yes. It's time to head out. Rally them together, get them to listen."

I started down the stairs, but someone caught me.

"You can't be by yourself."

"Marius, please. I am not a child," I said.

"I know that. But your mother could be out there. Someone should stay with you." He looked around and his eyes seemed to catch someone.

"Enjolras!" he called out. He made his way over to us and looked at me briefly before looking at Marius. "Stay with Hyacinth. If her mother shows, keep her out of sight." He let go of me, and without waiting for a reply from Enjolras, he walked down the stairs. I stayed silent, following behind him.

As we got outside, the boys had already begun their jobs. I smiled at them as we pushed past, finding people to encourage. I smiled at the people I passed, nodding and keeping a polite demeanor. I could hear the boys riling people up and paused in the crowd.

I looked around, finding a woman standing alone. She was watching, so I approached her.

"Hello," I said. She smiled at me and nodded. "I think you might listen to what we have. I'd get closer."

As I said this, she did. I looked ahead and caught a glimpse of Marius standing above the crowd. He looked over everyone with a distinct light in his eye. I smiled at him and turned to find Enjolras. He had vanished and in a second, I was worried. I looked around with no progress in finding him. As I walked around, my head snapping at every sound, the boys started chanting and yelling.

"When's it gonna end?" I heard Courfeyrac yell from the crowd. I pushed through the people, keeping my eyes open and up in case my mother appeared beside me. The people pressed in tighter, enclosing me. I kept my composure and found something to stand on, looking over the heads of the crowd.

"When are we gonna live?"

The yelling got louder as the people, focused on those yelling, yelled alongside them. I looked for Marius first, my eyes locking onto him almost immediately.

"Something's gotta happen now!"

I looked over the people, their faces filled with inspiration as they listened to every word yelled out. They were in deep and I was content with that. I focused in on them as the chants continued.

"Something's gotta give!"

I felt a hand catch my back and I turned as fast as I could, meeting eyes with Enjolras.

"What happened to staying with me?" I asked, glaring at him.

"It'll come."

"I got preoccupied. You know, doing what we came here to do," he said, holding a hand out toward the crowd.