Évolié <On Hold>

Adventure

A cold silence had fallen upon the barricades.

"You knew Eponine? " Gavroche asked, looking at me

"I was out on the streets, starving, so I went to work for the Thénardiers. Apparently they were happy to get a maid that was an orphan, so no one would come to take me away, whatever that means. But since I couldn't pay to live there, I didnt even get a bed, I slept out side with the dog. I tried to run away, but they wouldn't let me. Eponine was always kind to me, she would give me part of her dinner and let me have one of her old coats. Marius lived in the apartment next to us. He saved me from a beating one day, and fed me, in return I helped him find that girl he always talks about. One day the Thénardiers kicked me out onto the streets. Eponine still helped me, treated me like her own sister. But she left one day, leaving me on my own. I still saw her around. I asked her why she left, and she said that she wanted me to be able to get along on my own, which I did." I wiped away a tear from my eye and sighed.

"What happened to your parents?" Gavroche asked "did they.." he paused for a moment but continued "Die?"

"Yes, thats what I was told, I only remember living with a lady who took care of me, but she died when I was five. She told me that My mother died soon after I was born, and my father was very sick so he gave me to her." I wasn't sure if that was true though. I have always assumed that my father had died. He might have gotten better and just didn't want to take care of me. I chose to believe the fact that he had died, I didn't want him to be dead, but I didn't want a father who would abandon me. I pushed the thought from my mind.

"Gavroche, Évolié , can you do somthing for me?" Marius asked

"Anything for you, Monsieur"Gavrove replied

"I need you to take this to take this to mademoiselle Cosette, at number seven, Rue de l'homme- Armé. Make sure she gets it" he said, holding out a letter

"What if the barricades are taken while we are away?" I asked

"They probably will not attack until daybreak, and the barricades wont fall until noon." Marius replied "But you must leave here at once."

I knew he was trying to get us away before the final fight, but I still had a debt to him, and this would repay it.

"Why can't we leave in the morning?" Gavroche asked

"The streets will be blocked by then, you have to go now if it is going to be delivered"

Gavroche and I hesitated.

"Very well" I said as I grabbed the letter. Gavroche and I took off down the narrow street.

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We arrived in the Rue de l'homme- Armé. I knocked on doors and windows to get directions, but they were locked and barred.

"Have you found it yet?" I called to Gavroche

"No, not yet" Gavroche called back

"Well what are you two up to?" a figure appeared in front of us. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I saw his face. It was the same man who saved me from the rain

"Well what we're after is that we are hungry" Gavroche said. The man pulled out a five franc piece and held it out to us. Gavroche eyed the piece, but ignored it. The man held it out to me but I turned my attention to the street lamps.

"You've still got lights burning, thats not right." I said as I picked up a stone. I threw it at the lamp and the glass shattered loudly, causing the residents of nearby houses to peer out from behind their curtains.

"Now thats better" I said. The man looked at me, still holding the five franc piece. Gavroche smashed another burnind lamp and smiled in satisfaction. He eyed the huge archive building down the street.

"You should pull down those pillars and make a barricade, they're big enough."He said, smiling.

"You two must be half starved! " The man mumbled. He came towards me and pressed the five franc piece into my hand. I looked down at it in surprise. I've heard of the pieces, but never got to hold one before.

"Thank you Monsieur," I said holding the coin back out to him "but I'd sooner smash street lamps. Here, you can have your bribe back, it won't work with us."

"Do you have a mother?" The man asked

"More than you I'd suppose" Gavroche said

"Then keep it and give it to her" The man pushed my hand back

"So this is not to get us to stop smashing street lamps?" I asked

"Smash as many as you wish"

"Do you live on this street?" I asked, pushing the money into my pocket

"Yes"

"Would you mind telling me how to get to number seven?"

"Why do you want to know?"

I stopped myself from saying anything. I felt that I had already said too much.

"Because."

The man looked at me and saw my red handkerchief in my pocket.

"Do you come from the barricades?" He asked

"Yes"

"Have you brought me the letter I've been expecting?"

I looked at him in surprise.

"You? You're not a woman!" I said

"It's a letter addressed to Mademoiselle Cosette, I'm supposed to give it to her " The man said

I fished in my pocket and pulled out the folded piece of paper.

"Military dispatch, straight from the barricades. " I said as I handed him the letter.

"Should I take my reply to Saint Merry?" The man asked, sticking the letter in his pocket

"If you did, it would be a floater. That letter comes from the barricade at Rue de la Chanvrerie. Good night citizen. "

Gavroche and I made our way down the street until we came to a hand cart. The owner of the cart, who was probably drunk, was asleep in it. His head rested on the tailboard and the handles rested on the pavement.

"That could come in good use on the barricade" Gavroche said.

The man was snoring loudly, and didn't seem to hear our talking. I grabbed the mans legs and Gavroche held the handles of the cart. We pulled the cart free and took off down the street, leaving the man laying on the pavement, undisturbed. We found ourselves confronted by a man in uniform, probably a sergeant. He pointed his musket at us.

"Where are you going, you rascals? " The sergeant barked

"Monsieur, we have not insulted you, so why must you insult us?"Gavroche asked.

"I asked you where you are going, scoundrels?"

"What a terrible word, before you take another drink, you should wash your mouth out." I said. The sergeant grew red with anger. He leveled his musket, pointing it at me.

"Will you or will you not tell me where you are going?"

"My good man," Gavroche said "We are fetching the doctor for my wife who's in labor" The man moved the gun away from me and pointed it at Gavroche. At that moment I realized that the handcart had gotten us into trouble, and it would have to get us out of it.

I grabbed the handles of the cart and sent it rolling to the sergeant. We took off running down the street and didn't stop running until we arrived at the barricade.

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Author's note

Just like I did for Eponine's death, I based that entire chapter off of the book