La Souffrance

Book One: Many Deaths

II
The hospital

Marius and Éponine arrived at a small hospital. They were silent on the way. Marius carried Éponine through the doorway.

"Here we are," Marius walked over to one of the nurses.

"Bonjour," the nurse smiled.

"Bonjour. My friend Éponine here was shot."

"Oh! Dear me! Marie come quick! And bring a stretcher!" The nurse hollered. Another nurse rushed over; she rolled a stretcher along with her. Marius lied Éponine on the stretcher.

"M- Marius?" Éponine stuttered.

"Yes?"

"I l-" Éponine couldn't finish what she was going tell her beloved Marius, for she lost her consciousness. The nurses rolled her away into a small room.

"Éponine!" Marius called. As he sighed, he walked over to a chair. He sat down. Impatiently, he looked around the room. At least a good half an hour must've gone by.

"Sir?" Marie, the second nurse, stood in front of Marius.

"What is it?" Marius shot up from his chair.

"Would you mind answering some questions for me?"

"Oh. Yeah... Sure," He nodded. Marie and Marius sat down.

"What are both of your names?"

"I'm Marius Pontmercy. And she's Éponine Thénardier." As Marius spoke, Marie wrote what he said on the piece of paper that was attached to her clipboard.

"Thanks. How old is Éponine?"

"She's uh seventeen," Marius looked down.

"Does she have any family?"

"N-" Marius thought of Monsieur Thénardier. He and Éponine's mother weren't exactly family... yet they weren't not family either...

"Marius?"

"Oh um..."

"Does she have any family?"

"Kind of?" Marius rubbed his arm awkwardly.

"What do you mean kind of?"

"Well..."

"Yes?" Marie raised an eyebrow.

"Her parents don't really love her. And her brother died today," Marius explained.

"Oh," Marie looked at her feet. The first nurse Marius met joined them.

"Your friend will be okay," the nurse ensured.

"Thank you!" Marius smiled. He stood up and began towards the room where Éponine was.

"Sir."

Marius stopped.

"We have to keep her here for the night.

"Oh," Marius mumbled. He turned back around.

"You can come back tomorrow if you like," Marie offered.

"Yeah. I'll do that," Marius headed out the door.