I'll Cover You

Chapter 18

Marius shut the door gently behind him, and let out an aloof sigh. The moment had been bittersweet. He did not wish to leave Cosette to walk directly into his grave, for that was most likely what was going to happen. Marius had never been one for violence, and going into battle was definitely a contradiction to that. He feared that once confronted with a rifle his inexperience in warfare would show off. Marius shrugged these feelings off. He needed to do this. For Cosette. Even if he would not get to live within the new world he and his friends created, at least she would.

There was a time at Marius's life where the idea of death was rather fearful for him. It was not for any particular reason, maybe just the idea of eternal unconciousness. This had made him at first reluctant to jump on the bandwagon for revolution. There were times where Enjorlas would speak about how their lives were a small price to pay for other's freedom when Marius would get shivers down his spine at the thought of being lined up along with the men, leaving those he cared for to view his lifeless corpse. Deep down within him, the idea still brought a shock up his spine. However, from the moment he met Cosette, he understood what Enjorlas meant about their lives being a small price to pay. Marius knew from that moment on that he would give his life for Cosette in order for her to be happy. It was no longer his life that was a main priority to him. It was hers.

The funeral started some time in the mid-morning. The bright and shinging day in no way reflected the mood. As theofficials proceeded, the coffin of the beloved General Lamarque laid upon a large cart. It was a hard sight for the people of Paris. No one wished to believe that the man had passed. For many, it was the first visual towards the acceptance of the loss. For others, it was a gunshot straight through their hearts and through their hopes. Then for even fewer, it was the sigh. The sign of rebellion.

Marius was lost in his thoughts from earlier that morning that he almost did not notice that the protest was about to begin. He was brought forth abrubtly from his brain when the protest song began to beckon throughout the street.  The words sent jolts through Marius's bones, as he would soon have to go into the streets with the students to interrupt the ceremony. Still he sung along to their pledge to the revolution.

Do you hear the people sing?

Singing the song of angry men.

It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again.

When the beating of your heart, 

echoes the beating of the drums.

There is a life about to start,

when tomorrow comes.

Tomorrow was so close. All of the students could taste it, and soon the people of France would be able to indulge in it as well. Enjorlas was soon in the middle of the street, waving around his beloved red flag within the air. This was Marius's cue. No turning back now. He made his way through the crowd of people, who were just realizing what was going on. The procession had ceased at the start of the disturbance, which gave Marius and the other students the perfect oppurtunity to take charge of the carriage that contained Lamarque's body. Everything seemed to happen in an instant. It was not long until the procession had continued, but this time led by the students until they had been stopped by the guards. 

Marius loaded his gun. As he pointed it towards one of the guards, his mind became a wild stallion, stampeding around all of the possibilities to come out of this. He would have either taken a few lives, and lived to fight on at the barricades, or his life would be cut short at the hands of an army official, and he would simply be another statistic added to the death count from the rebellion. He was not too fond of either of the choices, however he knew that the only way he was going to be able to return to Cosette was to go with the first option.

As the fighting began, the scene escalated quickly into a sight of extreme gore. A dark crimson painted the ground that the surviving walked upon, and souls began to escape from the now lifeless bodies that now met their resting place. Marius rode past on his horse with a look of horror, even for those on the opposing side. Those people would not be able to return home. They would never be reunited with their loves or with their families. They would never get to sing again, or feel the joy of a fine summer day. The families of those past were as well greatly affected. They would not get to see the bright smiles of their sons or daughters, and fathers would not be able to walk their little girls down the aisle. The idea of it tied Marius's stomach in a large knot. Still, he had to push through. The only thing that was worse than spectating these horrorific deeds was having to live them out. 

Soon, the sound of gunfire had lessened, and Marius could hear the young leader screech out at the top of his lungs, "TO THE BARRICADES!" With those words ringing throughout the land, Marius made his way towards the Cafe Musain. The sight where the barricades would arise.