Only Been Pretending

Chapter Nine - Aftermath and Mourning

Chapter Nine

          Eponine awakened early the next morning after getting virtually no rest. After being locked in her room, she listened to the sounds of gunfire and soldiers marching all through the day. The sounds continued into the night, and Eponine was worried for her friends. She worried that the people would not rise. Most of all, she worried about Gavroche. She knew he would find a way to fight with his two “big brothers.” When she got up, she picked the lock on her door and found the apartment completely empty. She knew this was her chance, so she darted out of the door and down the street, never looking back. She had to find out what happened because there hadn’t been any gunfire for several hours.

          Finally, Eponine saw the wreckage of the barricade and knew her worst fears were confirmed. It was pretty obvious that the people had not joined the Amis. She swallowed down tears as she journeyed deeper in and saw the bodies of Feuilly and Jehan. However, what she saw next nearly made her heart stop. She saw Courfeyrac’s body on the cobblestones and not too far away was where her brother lay dead. She rushed forward and fell to her knees beside him, sobbing uncontrollably. Eponine lifted him slightly off the ground, clutching him to her chest and mumbling that she was sorry. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and laid him back down, still crying. Her chest felt empty, like her heart had been ripped right out. She couldn’t bear to leave his side, so she sat there with him, mourning. To Eponine, it seemed like she’d been staring at her brother’s lifeless body for hours when someone called her name.

          “’Ponine?”

          In the back of her mind, she recognized the voice, but she didn’t acknowledge them even as she heard their footsteps getting closer. Then, a hand was on her shoulder and gently turning her around. She looked up into the concerned eyes of one of her best friends kneeling beside her.

          “Grant,” she sobbed.

          He pulled her into his arms, and she buried her face in the curve of his neck as she continued to cry. Now she wasn’t sure if she was crying because Grantaire was alive or if she was still mourning for Gavroche. Eventually, she pulled away and looked up at him.

          “Grant, is everyone…?”

          “No, there are a few of us alive, but we’re still searching for survivors. Come with me,” he said.

          He helped her stand and led her into the Musain. The bottom level was set up like a make-shift infirmary. The injured and dead were all around the room. First, she spotted Combeferre sitting in a chair, obviously injured. Then, she saw Joly working on someone and Musichetta helping.

          “’Ferre, Joly, ‘Chetta!” she exclaimed.

          Musichetta rushed over to her and hugged her tightly.

          “’Ponine, we were so worried! Are you OK?” she asked.

          “I wasn’t able to get here, ‘Chetta. I told my sister I was leaving because I wanted her to come with me, but she refused and told our father. He stopped me and locked me in my room. Once everyone left, I picked the lock and came here. I’ve already seen some of the damage. It’s terrible. I’m just glad you four are OK, but I also wish I could’ve been here to fight with you.”

          “No,” Grantaire said, “I’m glad you couldn’t come. No matter how brutal your father is, you were safer there. I don’t know what I would’ve done if both of my favorite Thènardiers had been killed.”

          Eponine smiled at him through teary eyes.

          “How did you make it out?” she asked.