The Changed Girl

5. Rally

Chapter Five: Rally

I watched Gavroche as he climbed through the window of one of the carriages. I couldn't help but smile as I pushed my way through the crowd until I was close enough to hear what the young boy was saying.

"How do you do? My name's Gavroche!" He gave his gap toothed grin to the people in the carriage as I watched him. "These are my people, here's my patch. Not much to look at, nothing posh. Nothing that you'd call up to scratch. This is my school, my high society, here in the slums of San Michele. We live on crumbs of humble piety, tough on the teeth, but what the hell. Think you're poor, think you're free, follow me. FOLLOW ME!"

I watched as he climbed through the carriage and I hurried around it to follow him as he ran through the street and jumped onto the back of another one. He looked so happy as his friends chased behind the carriage with me. As soon as the little boy spotted me his smile seemed to grow.

"There was a time we killed the king, we tried to chance the world too fast. Now we've got another king, he's no better than the last." He called out to the people he past. "This is the land that fought for liberty, now when we fight, we fight for bread. Here is the thing about equality, everyone's equal when they're dead. Take your place, Take your chance. Viva la France, viva la France!"

"When's it gonna end?" Courfeyrac called out as Gavroche ran over to him when we reached the crowd in front of General Lamarque's house.

"When we gonna live?" Joly asked the people as he handed out papers.

"Something's gotta happen now or something's gonna give!" People in the crowd called out as I looked around to see Marius and Enjolras on a makeshift stage at the front of the crowd. "It'll come, it'll come, it'll come. It'll come, it'll come, it'll come!"

"Where the leaders of the land?" Enjolras called out to the crowd of people as I watched Courfeyrac hurry over to a by the house's door and they whispered something to one another. "Where are the swells who run this show?"

"Only one man - and that's Lamarque! Speaks for these people here below." Marius rallied as I spotted Ephonie on the other side of the crowd watching him in awe.

"See our children fed!" A woman behind me yelled.

"Help us in our shame!" another person yelled.

"Something for a crust of bread!" A man beside me called as Courfeyrac whispered something in Enjolras' ear. "In Holy Jesus' name!"

"Lamarque is ill and fading fast!" Enjolras informed all of us. "Won't last the week out, so they say."

"With all the anger in the land how long before the judgement day?" Marius asked.

"Before we cut the fat ones down to size?" Enjolras threw the papers in his hand into the crowd and I caught one of them to see that it was of revolution ideas.

"Before the barricades arise?" All the boys yelled tue question together as the police came riding down the street. The crowd broke apart quickly and I felt someone grab my arm and I turned to see that it was Courfeyrac.

"This way!" He pulled me towards an ally and we ran until we were blocks away from the police and we slowed to a walk.

"Thank you," I took my arm from his grasp as we reached a small market area near my apartment.

"May I ask why you were at the rally?" He raised one of his dark brows at me. "I thought you didn't believe in the revolution?"

"I never said I didn't believe in it I only said that I disagreed with the thought of throwing your lives away in a fight." I pointed out. "I saw Gavroche and followed him to make sure he wasn't getting himself into trouble. He seems to have a habit at it."

"That he does," he chuckled as I spotted Papa and Cosette across the street. They were handing money to the poor but Cosette seemed to be distracted by something as Papa walked into a small box type thing to help a beggar man. "How was your night?"

"It wall well," I didn't take my eyes off of Cosette as I spotted Ephonie watching around and then it hit me.

"Cosette!" I yelled her name as I spotted some officers hurrying down the street.

"It's the police! Disappear!" Ephonie warned her family. "Run for it! It's Javert!"

"Cosette!" Papa yelled for her as he tried to get away from Ephonie's father and his gang as they tried to rob him. I tried to run over to help but Courfeyrac wrapped his arms around me to hold me back. I watched as the last officer I ever wanted to see walked over as the men released Papa and he stood in front of Cosette, his back to the familiar officer.

"Another brawl in the square! Another stink in the air! Was there a witness to this? Well, let him speak to Javert!" Inspector Javert picked Gavroche up by the shirt before tossing him to another officer as he walked over to Papa and Cosette. "M'sieur, the streets are not safe, but let these vermin beware, we'll see that justice is done!"

"Let me go!" Gavroche pulled against the grip the officer had on his collar. I could tell it was taking all of Courfeyrac's strength not to let go of me and go help him.

"Look upon this fine collection crawled from underneath a stone!" Javert looked over Ephonie's parents and the gang as I spotted her hiding behind the corner of a building while Papa and Cosette hurried away to my relief. "This swarm of worms and maggots could have picked you to the bone! I know this man over here, I know his name and his trade and on your witness, M'sieur, I'll see him suitably paid. But where's the gentleman gone? And why on earth did he run?"

"You will have a job to catch him. He's the one you should arrest!" Mousier Thenardier spoke up and I wanted nothing more than to smack him across the face. "No more bourgeois when you scratch him, than that brand upon his chest!

"Could it be he's some old jailbird, that the tide now washes in?" Javert looked around in disbelief as I felt myself go cold. "Heard my name and started running. Had the brand upon his skin and the girl who stood beside him, when I turned they both had gone. Could he be the man I've hunted? Could it be he's Jean Valjean?"

"In the absence of a victim," Mousier Thenardier hesitated as he walked over to Javert's side. "Dear Inspector, may I go? And remember when you've nicked him, it was me that told you so!"

"Let the old man keep on running I will run him off his feet!" Javert's voice was ice as I felt fear grow inside of me for Papa. "Everyone about your business, clear this garbage off the street!"

"Gav, are you okay?" Courfeyrac asked as he came hurrying over to us.

"Fine," he assured us. "Are we going to meet with the others?"