Alone- Eponine

Chapter One

I feel useless. My life is just work. Now that Cosette has gone, I am the slave of the family. Precious Azelma is apparently too delicate to do work. As if, I had always known that mother had preferred her but I had not known that it would lead to this!

Now I know how Cosette felt I have some sympathy for her. Not that it would help her now. About a year ago she left with a strange man. I have no idea who he was but it was clear by what he said that he would look after her.

I wish that someone like that would rescue me from the cage of the tigress! She is ferocious and I am always scared that everything I do is either not good enough or just completely wrong! I wish I could just have the freedom I had last year. No one has pity on me. I don't know why, it wasn't actually me who did anything to Cosette. I hardly knew she existed until I heard my mother say that she had locked a bastard child in the shed.

In a way I think I miss her. I don't just mean by her doing all of the work, but I miss her singing. She sang as she worked. It was a slow and haunting song but she had such a sweet voice. I don't think she meant for anyone to here but I always did whenever I was with the children in the village.

There is someone I miss especially hard. He was always especially kind to me. He never spoke to me and, although I know this sounds stupid, I felt like whenever he caught my eye we had a connection. Sometimes I still see him. I don't think he sees me but, just the sight of him comforts me.

"EPONINE! What are you doing? You have done no work since I last left! Go and get some water from the well in the wood NOW! Or face the consequences!" As my mother shouted this I snuck away hurriedly and ran to get the bucket. The air was fresh and I couldn't stop myself from shivering. There was snow on the ground and a bitter wind. My thin cotton clothes barely kept me warm in summer so I was freezing.

It was getting dark and I hadn't even reached the woods yet. The woods at night are dangerous places. They are said to hold escaped convicts who come out at night and strike once again. Although this story sounds ridiculous I cannot help believing and being wary of it. I was scared stuff as I reached the outskirts of the wood. I could barely see and as I entered there seemed to be a continuous rustling noise behind. I didn't dare look back as I feared the worst.

When I reached the well whoever it was that was following me made themselves visible. I could only see their silhouette but it was not one of an ex-convicts. It was more of a young and middle class boy. He looked scruffy and thin, but not quite thin enough to be classed as poor. I know who I wanted it to be, but I knew it probably wasn't. Anyway, even if it was him I wouldn't know what to say. I don't even know his name.

The bucket was heavy and I could no longer lift it. Even dragging it behind me was a struggle! As we ploughed through the snow it got deeper and deeper so that it was almost unwalkable. I had to get home though. Otherwise I would be sleeping in the snow for a week!

I approached the inn and, although it wasn't late. There wasn't a sound to be heard. I snuck through the back door and left the bucket in a corner. Then I lay on my rag and slowly drifted off to sleep...