Revolutionary Fire

13. On My Own

Darkness veiled the streets of Paris as I made my way home. It was a peaceful silence, the kind good for ponderings that can hardly be spoken aloud, but as the silence persisted, it suddenly wasn't silent. Through the darkness, a scream suddenly sounded, shrill and loud. Instantly, I took off in direction of the scream and soon came upon my uncle's house.

Outside the gate, a group of men were gathered as well as a young girl. "You wait my girl!" a man yelled, "you'll rue this night! I'll make you scream!" She spat in his face. "You'll scream all right!" He raised his fist as if to hit her, but I ran forward and took the hit myself, resulting in my being sprawled out on the ground.

"Police!" the man yelled, barely getting over his shock at my appearance. They all scurried away, leaving me on the ground. As I got to my feet, I saw Javert approach.

"Javert," I said snappishly, wiping away blood from my mouth.

"Blaisaline," he said in surprise. "Who did this to you?"

"No one of your concern," I retorted. "Good day." Spitting out a mouthful of blood at his feet, I left, following after the figure of the girl.

Rain began to pour as she began, "On my own, pretending he's beside me. All alone I walk with him till morning. Without him I feel his arms around me and when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me. In the rain, the pavement shines like silver. All the lights are misty in the river. In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight and all I see is him and me forever and forever. And I know it's only in my mind, that I'm talking to myself and not to him. And although I know that he is blind still I say, there's a way for us.

"I love him, but when the night is over he is gone, the river's just a river. Without him, the world around me changes the trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers. I love him, but every day I'm learning all my life I've only been pretending. Without me, his world will go on turning, a world that's full of happiness that I have never known. I love him. I love him. I love him, but only on my own."

She sat crumpled in the rain, sobs leaving her lips as I approached her. Laying a hand on her shoulder, I asked, "What is your name?" She flinched, moving away from me as if I had burned her.

"E-Eponine," she said, still shaking.

Crouching down beside her, I asked, "Eponine, are you all right?"

"Why'd you save me?" she asked, ignoring my question. "No one ever saves me."

"Who was that man?" I asked. "I mean, I know who he is, but who is he to you?"

"He's my father," she admitted, wiping away a tear. Beginning to cry again, she asked, "Why does everyone get a happy ending except me?" With a sympathetic sigh, I wrapped my arms around her and let her cry into my shoulder.

Once she had calmed, I said, "Come with me, Eponine. I can get you somewhere to stay for the night. Somewhere with a warm bed?"

"No thank you, Madame. I have something I need to do," she said.

"Well, if you ever need anything, go to the ABC Café and ask for Madame Enjolras," I insisted, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a five-franc piece to give to her.

"No, I can't take that," she insisted, pushing it back towards me. "You've already shown me more kindness than I've ever known."

"Then allow me to show just a little more," I persuaded. Finally, she reluctantly took it.

Standing, I began to walk back to the ABC Café, knowing there was more to be done. "One day more," I sang softly. "Tomorrow everything will change, and yet my world was just beginning. One more day beside my love. Will we ever meet again? One more day of him beside me. I was born to be with him. What a life we might have known, and I know we'd have been true, but we never had the chance."

As I stepped into the square by the café, Enjolras added, "One more day before the storm."

"Does he know how this will end?" I said.

"At the barricades of freedom!" Apollo said.

"Shall we join in death again?"

"When our ranks begin to form."

"Is an ounce of fear not felt?" I pondered, watching as he strode around among everyone.

I was surprised to feel a pair of lips on my hand and couldn't help but smile softly as I saw it was Apollo who had stepped towards me without my knowing. "Will you take your place with me?"

"The time is now, the day is here," everyone sang.

"One day more. One day more to revolution, they will fight with all they got. They'll be ready for the fire, can this truly be the end?" I breathed.

"One day to a new beginning, raise the flag of freedom high. Every man will be a king. There's a new world for the winning. There's a new world to be won. Do you hear the people sing?"

Marius approached, holding up the red revolutionary flag as he said, "My place is here, I fight with you."

"One day more," I said, not noticing Apollo approaching me. "They'll be ready for the fire, can this truly be the end?!"

Brows furrowed, Enjolras joined in as everyone finished, "Tomorrow we'll be far away. Tomorrow is the judgement day. Tomorrow we'll discover what our God in Heaven has in store. One more dawn. One more day. One day more."