Chapter 8:
Josephine sat lifelessly staring to ground, her sister passed away in the arms of the man she had loved. Eponine was like her other half, the two had always been inseparable. And now in the blink of an eye, it was over.
Grantaire walked to her slowly, thinking of what to say. He took a seat next to her and cleared his throat. Josephine looked up at him, then back to the ground. "Don't say it, Grantaire. I'm not leaving you."
"Then, I won't ask.." He told her quietly, not daring to look at her. What could he say? She had only just lost her sister minutes before.
She looked at him, she never thought that the pain of lost would hurt this much. There she swore to herself, if Grantaire would fall here she wouldn't live another second without him. She then cast long glances at her friends, it was so hard to believe that in a in a short day or less that would all be lying dead.
"I'm sorry I cause you grief, Grantaire." She whispered to him, "I know you must blame yourself for me being here, but please-" She grabbed his hand and look at him with pleading eyes, "-don't, for this was my choice to be here. And I'm staying here with you."
He quickly kissed her making sure not to linger for her knew it wasn't the right time.
"Don't shoot!" A man's unknown voice cried out as they all surrounded him guns pointed at him.
Grantaire and Josephine jumped from their seats. He was dressed in a French army uniform, he dressed at the other side. "Here comes a man in uniform! What brings you to this place?" Joly questioned.
"I come here as a volunteer!"
"You're wearing an army uniform!" Josephine called angrily to the mysterious new figure.
The man looked to her in shock to see a girl here in this dangerous place. "That's why they let me through!"
"You've got some years behind you, sir!"
"There's much that I can do."
Joly and the rest of the students took a hold on him.
"You see that prisoner over there?" Joly asked him pointing to Javert. Grantaire moved away from Josephine and came behind them, "A volunteer like you!" He told the man with a sneer.
"A spy that calls him Javert,"
"He's going to get it too!" Grantaire violently said to him.
Javert and this man looked at each other, Javert scowled as their eyes met.
"Don't shoot! I know him! He's no soldier." Gavroche's told everyone.
After the words left Gavroche's mouth, the man broke free from their grasped and grabbed Grantaire's gun. Josephine's heart skipped a beat at the sight.
On the roof of the café, was one of the French soldiers, aiming for Enjolras. Before the shot could be fired, the man who took Grantaire's gun shot him down.
The students took this as a warning and shot down the rest of the hidden snipers. Enjolras was greatly pleased with his help, "For you're presence of mind, for the deed you have done. I will thank you, M'sieur, when our battle is won."
"Thank you, M'sieur," Josephine breathed out.
"Give me no thanks, M'sieur, Mademoiselle. There is something you can do."
"If it is in my power," Enjolras told him.
"Give me the spy, Javert. Let me take care of him."
Enjolras turned to his tiny army, "The enemy may be regrouping, hold yourselves in readiness! Come, my friends, back to your position! The dawn is breaking fast."
xx
The mood of the companions began to change to something doubtful and hopeless. With no sign of anything coming for them, it seemed it was all lost.
Josephine and Grantaire sat among their friends, as usual Grantaire had a bottle of wine. Josephine layed her head down on his shoulder.
Enjolras walked among them, "Courfeyrac, you take the watch. They may attack before it's light. Everyone keep the faith! For certain as our banner flies, we are not alone. The people too must rise."
Josephine sighed heavily from way she laid. Grantaire, who had an arm around her waist, gave her a reassuring squeeze. She saw Marius working to raise the height of the barricade. "Marius, rest." She pleaded to him.
Grantaire began to sing in his drunken state, "Drink with me, today's gone by!"
"Sing with me the songs we knew." Josephine sang along with him.
"Here's to the pretty girls, who went to our heads!" Prouvaire sang in.
"Here's to the witty girls, who went to our beds," Joly sang. Josephine and Grantaire laughed.
"Here's to them, and here's to you!" They all sang together.
Grantaire continued strong, "Drink with me today's gone by! Can it be you fear to die? Will the world remember you when you fall? Can it be your death means nothing at all? Is your life just one more lie?" Josephine was hurt by his words he beautifully sang. Grantaire was to drunk to know what he had said, it was the truth and they all knew it.
All of the students soon joined in, including Josephine, "Drink with me, today's gone by! To the life, that used to be. At the wine of friendship never say die.. Let the wine of friendship never run dry! Here's to you, and here's to me!"
