Maybe someday we'll have our own heart full of love (on hold)

Chapter 7-Exploring

I walk through the alleyway trying to ignore the pain in my foot, but it's hard. Every step I take makes the pain worsen. I start to wonder if it's a good idea to meet Marius. He said I could join him, but only if I wanted to. I don't want my leg to buckle and have me collapse in front of him. Then he'll know something's up. I also don't know what he wants to do when I meet him. He usually wants to walk around and talk and I don't think I can walk very far.

But then I think of how happy I am after spending time with him and how nice he is so I decide anything is worth that. I continue on my way until I come to the building. I don't see Marius anywhere and I thought it was noon now.

I look around and see if there's any sign of life anywhere.

"Marius? Are you here? It's me, Eponine!" I try to call out to him if he happened to be there. I just hobble over to the doorstep and sit on the steps.

After a few minutes, I think I should just go home. I unsteadily get up and start to step down when I hear the creeking of floorboards behind me. I quickly turn around, but no one is there.

"Hello? Marius?" I call out. I wait for a while until I grow tired of waiting and start to walk away. Suddenly I feel someone tap me on my shoulder. I turn around and no one is there. I start to get exasperated. I feel another tap on my shoulder. When I turn again, no one is there.

"Marius!" I say half laughing. Marius comes into my view. I can see he's trying not to laugh.

"How did you know it was me? Do you have eyes on the back of your head Mademoiselle?" I roll my eyes.

"Why did you ask me to meet you here?" I say changing the subject.

"Well Mademoiselle, I was thinking we could do some exploring!"

"Where would we explore?" I say. I have been many places in Paris so there's not many places I haven't explored yet.

Marius motions to his left and I look that way. I see "our special place" and I stand there shocked. Why would Marius want to explore that? Why would Marius even want to explore? He doesn't seem like the type of guy who would want to do something like that.

"I haven't been in there in years and I don't think anyone would mind if we peaked inside." Marius says. As he says this he moves towards the house. He stops in the doorway and faces me.

"Are you coming 'Ponine?" I hesitate for a few moments, but then nod and follow after him.

We enter the house and are immediatly hit by a musty scent that smells a bit like burnt wood. The place is dark and I can barely see a thing.

"Marius?"

"Are you okay 'Ponine?"

"Yeah, I just can't see very well in here." I feel a hand grab mine.

"Lucky for you, I know this house very well. Don't worry I'll lead you." I look down and I can barely see my hand and his grasping onto mine. When our hands touched, I felt sparks and a warm feeling spread throughout me. I feel like my stomache is doing flips because I'm so nervous.

 Marius leads me into a room that has some light peaking through the cracks of the boards that are over the windows. Unfortunatly, Marius let's go of my hand to go search the room. He walks over to a a small table made of metal and polished granite. He picks up a small box and turns it over in his hands.

He turns to me. "This used to be a candy box," Marius says, obviously trying not to cry, "He would give me a piece every time I visited. It was one of my happiest memories" Marius looks at the blackened surface for a few moments and then sets it down. He chuckles and turns toward me.

"I guess that is why I would always be anxious to come here," he pauses, "Maybe that's why I wanted to come here today; it brought back both happy and sad memories."

Marius walked passed me and grabbed my hand on the way.

"Let's go see what more we can find 'Ponine" he says as he leads me down the hallway. I see some slightly burnt paintings on the wall of a bunch of people. One is of a friendly looking man. He isn't smiling, but he doesn't look hostile or unhappy.

I stop and once Marius realized that I wasn't walking, he came and stood behind me. He looked over my shoulder at all the paintings.

"That's him," he says as he stares blankly at the painting, "he never did like that portrait of him."

"oh," I can't think of anything to say. My mind is scrambling for words, but I'm too busy thinking. Doesn't coming here kill him emotionally?

"let's go," I say. This time I grab his hand and walk further down the hall. We come to a staircase and Marius starts to head up slowly.

"Only go up the right side 'Ponine," Marius whispers down to me, "I can tell the left side is a bit weak,"

I look up and can barely see Marius's figure inching up the stairs keeping very close to the wall. He's putting one foot in front of the other so that he's as far right as he can possibly go. The stairs must be very weak.

I start to follow; walking against the wall. My foot is really starting to hurt now. After I'm half way up, the pain is too much for my leg and I start to collapse. I put my other foot down, but I put it down in the middle of the step.

Before I know it, I am falling through the stairs. I hear Marius call my name and I feel like I'm going in slow motion. I feel my head it on something and everything goes black.