The Barricade Girl (A Les Miserables FanFiction)

Chapter Forty-Eight

As Enjolras holds tightly to my hand, I feel him taking a deep breath.

"Do you hear the people sing", he starts quietly.

"Singing the song of angry men", my voice joins his. Courfeyrac and Marius look to Enjolras, who keeps his eyes focused on the approached horses and funeral carriage.

"It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again", they join in, just above a whisper. "When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums. There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes". The funeral procession gets closer and closer, and Enjolras' hands start to sweat against mine. He fidgets with his grip on the red flag he holds in his other hand, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in an attempt to ground himself and get rid of the nerves. "Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?" The crowd continues, getting loud and swelling in volume. Enjolras looks at me, a scared look in his eyes as he gives my hand one final squeeze. "Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?"

"I love you", Enjolras mouths to me.

"I love you too", I whisper back.

"Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free!" Enjolras jumps from the crowd, planting his feet in front of the funeral carriage, waving the red flag that he had been gripping on to so tightly, stopping the procession in its tracks. My heart is in my mouth as the whole world seems to stop in this moment. There's a silence as we watch Enjolras face off with the funeral procession. Suddenly, I feel bodies crashing against me as the crowds take this as the cue they've been waiting for. They storm towards the procession, our boys rushing forward and breaking the ranks of the crowd, surrounding the carriage.

"Do you hear the people sing singing the song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again? When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums. There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!" The crowd continues. Enjolras, Marius and Courfeyrac climb and clamber their way to the top of the carriage. I stand watching in a daze – a mixture of sickly nerves and amazed wonderment.

"Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance?" Enjolras passionately calls out to the crowd. This is his moment – the moment he's been waiting for.

"Some will fall and some will live. Will you stand up and take your chance?" Courfeyrac adds, equally fervent.

"The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of France!" Enjolras, Marius and Courfeyrac shout together. The remainder of the crowd rushes forward, supporting them as they surround the coffin carriage, ardently blocking the efforts and attempts of the police to intervene. Enjolras looks at me from the top of the carriage, that familiar look of love in his eye, and he steps down, standing himself on the wheel of the carriage as he offers an outstretched hand toward me.

"If you're going to insist on staying, I want you right by my side", he nods to his hand, the twinkle in his eye returning. Without hesitation, I put my hand in his and step on the wheels of the carriage, climbing my way up with Enjolras supporting my weight and lifting me up to the top of the carriage to join the people I love most in the world. I cling onto Enjolras' arm, afraid that I'll collapse with nerves and fear if I let go. He protectively secures his arm around my waist. He looks at me, catching a glimpse of the fear in my eyes. "I've got you, Barricade Girl". He plants a kiss on the side of my head before turning back to look at the crowd surrounding us. It's quite a sight to behold, the voices of the crowd swelling into a loud chant. I can't help but smile through the fear – this is an unbelievable sight. And I feel honoured to be the one at the leader's side.

"Do you hear the people sing singing the song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!" The voices of the crowd join together as one overpowering force. "When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums. There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!" And that's when it happens. The crowd falls quiet.

"Stand behind me..." Enjolras ushers me behind him, holding my hand, keeping a tight grip on it. With his other hand, he secures his gun, stretching it out in front of him.

"Enjolras, what –" I start, but can't finish.

"Just stay behind me...and don't be frightened..." He says, not looking at me, but looking directly forward. "Just do what I say..." I nod even though I know he can't see me, gulping hard to stop my fear from showing. Courfeyrac and Marius both reach for their guns, getting them in position. I look over Enjolras' shoulder – we've come face to face with the cavalry. There's a deadly silence as our boys and the crowd face off with the soldiers. Suddenly, a gun shot rings out from the gun of a young and nervous soldier, hitting a middle aged woman in the crowd. She falls to the floor with a scream, other members of the crowd rushing to her aid. Enjolras feels my gasp before it escapes my lips, feeling my body shudder in fright at the sound of the gunshot, and his grip on my hand tightens.

"You're okay..." He whispers to me, still not looking at me, not tearing his gaze from the cavalry in front of him. "We'll be okay..." The crowd rage toward the soldiers in absolute fury, charging toward the solider who had prematurely shot his gun, knocking him to the ground and grabbing his musket. More shots ring out – both from the guns of the cavalry soldiers and from the guns of my friends. The cavalry charges toward us, and the formerly peaceful funeral procession explodes into a riot. Enjolras turns back to look at me, and then looks at Courfeyrac and Marius, and they nod at him. He fixes his grip on my hand and raises his gun in the air, his voice ringing out above the shouts of the crowd.

"To the barricades!"