I come to fight. Or at least, to listen.

chapter 27

Chapter 27

~Clara Stella~

A bar of yellow light burst over the couple from behind. Enjolras whipped his head around in surprise. A nun was standing in the doorway, holding a lamp. "Come in, now!" she nearly shrieked. Enjolras jumped up, Evelyn's body in his arms. He swiftly strode into the hospital, pent up emotion fueling his every motion. "What could possibly be the matter at this hour?" she questioned, not really curious. Enjolras glared back at her with the potency of a venomous snake bite. The old woman was slightly startled. She craned her neck and held the lamp closer to the girl in the strange boy's arms. She gasped when she saw the damage.

"There's a table right here," she said, a new fervor in her voice, waving the lamp and walking over to a metal plate in a back room, "I'll fetch the doctor."

Enjolras nearly exploded at the old woman, wanting to tell her it was too late. But he stayed silent, which in a way was more terrifying.

Enjolras gently placed Evelyn on the metal, laying her down in the softest way possible. He felt a sudden cold on his torso where Evelyn had been and looked down. Blood stains were smeared all along the perfect cream of his vest and shirt. He had to bite his lip to support the dam that held himself back.

A man ran into Enjolras from behind, shoving him out of his way. Enjolras used the momentum to stumble to the corner. He lifted his hands and brought them behind his head, opening his chest. It didn't do much to relieve the pressure. The nun lit the light fixtures, illuminating the surgical area.

The doctor picked up Evelyn's wrist and put two fingers on the underside of it.

"She's live!" he shouted. The nun looked like she had been electrocuted and leapt at the nearby instruments.

Enjolras's eyes went wide in shock. Alive? She's alive?!A spark of hope lit in him, sending his heart rate skyrocketing. But still, he was helpless, and he knew it. Flashbacks blurred with real life, warping his image of reality. It was like he couldn't hear anything except distant echoes. The room blurred and spun, completely disorienting him. Any movement sent streaks across his vision. Enjolras grit his teeth and crouched down, trying to stabilize himself.

The doctor looked panicked. He knew that the girl had lost too much blood for him to spend time stitching her up. "Elodie, heat up the plate," the doctor said calmly. He flipped her over and roughly undid the laces on her bodice and then the corset, pulling them down to her waist. He left her chemise on, trying to save her some shred of dignity.

...

The first thing Evelyn thought was: Why is it so bright in here? To be fair, it was really bright. It was the kind of light that burned through your eyelids even when they were squeezed shut.

She clamped her hands over her eyes, trying to create a little cupboard of darkness. She also noticed that the bullet wound's pain was reduced to a dull ache, which further dissipated by the minute.

Knowing that she couldn't rely on sight, she began to listen closely to try and evaluate her surroundings. Voices murmured in the distance, sometimes inflecting like they were having a party. She knew those voices, but she couldn't place them. It was like a little itch in the back of her skull, eroding at the blockade of forgetfulness.

Slowly but surely her vision adjusted, and she was able to lift each finger, one by one, until the brightness had dimmed to that of a sunny day. She blinked a few times.

In front of her, was Eponine.

Well, Eponine if she wasn't a gamine.

Her hair wasn't the mess of dark tangles that Evelyn had always met with, nor were her clothes torn. Her skin was a glowing bronze and her cheeks had a little flush to them. But it was still the same 'Ponine.