I'll Cover You

Chapter 19

"The people have not stirred," Enjorlas uttered into the morning air, "and we are abandoned by those who still live in fear." The nights had passed by quickly at the barricades. Supplies were running short, morale was running low, and the numbers were lessening rapidly. People would find ways out in multiple ways. Some would choose to sneak away cloaked under the midnight sky, never to return again. Others had more unfortunate ways of escape. Either through capture by the National Guard, or through the bitter kiss of death. There were few survivors left upon that humble wall. One of those few happened to be Marius. 

Marius had suffered through a great deal of damage throughout his time at the barricade, both physically and emotionally. He had received multiple scrapes and cuts from the shoddy craftsmanship of the barricade along with the occasional knife tangle with an army official. However, he had also been dealt several emotional blows during his time there. These included the death of his friends, including Eponine and the young Gavoroche, and his separation from his beloved Cosette. Marius had sent only one letter to Cosette while he was away, but it was brief letter that he sent through Gavroche in an attempt to get him away from the barricade before more trouble had arisen. Within that letter, he did manage to tell Cosette something very important though. He wrote to her to give his goodbyes if he was to fall.

Through mummurs of worry from the people who remained, Enjorlas seethed out through clenched teeth, "Let us not waste lives... May all the women and fathers of children go from here." Even as the leader uttered these words, there were few people who actually left. Whether it be the small amount of the said people, or maybe perhaps from the small passion for the revolution that remained within these people. As previous revolutions had shown, ideas were not as easily killed as men were. This still rang true through each of the students who stood among the barricade as the officers approached once more. 

"Hey you at the barricades, listen to this!" The head of the national guard barked, "The people of Paris sleep in their beds! You have no chance, why throw your lives away?!" The students had no intention of backing down now. Even if their lives would simply be casted away to the island of lifelessness, they were going until the bitter end of this war. They would make them pay for every last person who had lost their lives, and let others take their places in creating a new world. A new free world for everyone else.

Marius's pledge to the barricade still remained to Cosette. His pledge that she would at least live in a changed world if he were to fall. Everything he had done here was for her. His personal gain was a very small factor within his fighting. Would it be nice for him to be able to live in the free world he would be helping to create? Absolutely. That would be a dream. However, that was all it would ever be. A dream that danced within the heads of him and his friends. He was prepared for his death, but he was uncertain if he could say the same about Cosette. How would she be if he were to fall?

Marius did not have time to ponder this question any further. Before any of them knew it, the army officers had begun to storm the barricade. The sky seemed to darken, and hang an ominous mood among the battle that seemed to match the hideous events unfolding among them. Pieces of barricade were being blown all over the place as the students scrambled to get out of the way.The blaring of gunshots filled their ears along with the vicious screams that sang into the air. From left to right, all that could be seen were grown men begging at doors to provide help, or the crumpled bodies of people whose lives had been cut short. The streets were soon flooded with a crimson river along with the tears from those lost. Those faint of heart would barely be able to withstand these gruesome sights. 

As the men attempted to fight their way into survival, more gunshots rang throughout the land. The bangs of these shots were so loud that Marius's cry had been barely audible. He arched backward in pain as the metal bullet pierced through his shoulder. A flood of red began to seep through his shirt, lying there at his final resting place. Marius closed his eyes slowly, letting his memories run over him. He had been so overcome by these memories that he had hardly noticed that he was being dragged from his current position.

Marius's mind had soon caught up to his current situation, which allowed his droopy eyes to open a miniscule amount. The only thing that he could ascertain was that he was moving, and the only thing that remained in his sight was a braid. A familiar braid of golden blonde. Before his world went dark, he whispered painfully, "Cosette?"