Beyond The Barricade | les misérables

twenty

Everyone took cover behind the barricade, our guns clasped in our hands tightly. I held my breath as we stared at the guards. Everything was in slow motion.

"Who is there?" a voice called out. Enjolras looked at me before looking straight ahead between gaps in the barricade.

"French Revolution!" he yelled. Silence followed for a moment, the sounds of people shuffling making my heart beat louder and faster.

"Fire!"

In an instant, we were bombarded with gunshots. I felt them fly past me as I opposed their shots with my own, my heart pounding in my chest. I felt Enjolras step toward me, his arm brushing against me as he shot. We kept them at bay. I was proud of us for that.

That is, until there was an enemy right in front of me.

They were climbing the barricade.

I held my gun up and pointed as they climbed. My first shot went toward the one who had already come so close to me. But he dodged. My hands shook as he pointed his own gun at me. I fumbled with my gun as he shot. I shifted my body just enough to have the bullet only land just below my shoulder. I groaned as it made contact and, with an angry glare, I shot him. He fell back and that's when we made eye contact.

Anthony stood far away from the barricade, a scowl on his face.

My heart stopped for a second, the anxiety of seeing him was stronger than the pain in my arm. He turned away and mumbled something to the man next to him before walking away. I looked over at Marius, who had taken to climbing up the barricade with a barrel of gunpowder and a torch.

"Marius, what are you doing?" I yelled at him. He pushed me back and I felt Enjolras grab me, pulling me back.

"Fall back!" he screamed at the soldiers, making them pause only slightly before heading forward again. "Fall back of I blow the barricade!" he warned. I wanted to yell at him. To scream at him to get down. He only lifted the torch and held it close to the barrel, making my heart race. I took a step toward him, not making it very far before Enjolras caught my arm. I winced as he made contact with the bleeding wound. He pulled me toward him and held me against his chest.

"Blow it and take yourself with it," the soldier said, calling Marius' bluff.

I leaned my head back against him as the pain began to set in. I squeezed my eyes shut and I felt him pull his hand away. I opened my eyes to find him staring at his blood covered hand. He then looked at me, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"And myself with it," Marius said, holding the fire closer to the gunpowder. The soldier's eyes widened as the barricade was seconds from bursting into flames, taking all who were near.

"Back. Back!" he yelled at the troops as they all stumbled back. Marius watched as Courfeyrac slowly grabbed the torch from his hand.

My attention turned back to Enjolras, who was staring at my arm. As Marius approached, he grabbed me and pulled me into the café, forcing me to sit on a crate. I grabbed my arm and held onto him, the pain becoming stronger as the adrenaline ran out.

"You'll be okay," Enjolras said as he crouched in front of me. "You're alright."

He kissed my forehead and held the side of my face. He stood up and looked down at me. I let out a harsh sigh, mixed with a sound of agony, as Enjolras disappeared from the room.

I looked at my hand and threw my head back, leaning it against the wall.

"Shit," I whispered. My shirt was now blood stained and ripped, but it was better than being dead.