Running

13

Thirteen

Eponine shut the door after spending the afternoon and night with Grantaire. She was drained from her trip to the cemetery, but her stomach protested that she go to bed immediately. Searching for a late night snack, she went to the kitchen and began rummaging through the cabinets. She settled on a spoonful of peanut butter. Just as she was about to leave the room, she noticed that the small window over her sink was open. She knew she didn't leave it open, so she found it extremely peculiar. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she played through every bad scenario in her mind. She finally shook her head and locked the window, telling herself she just didn't remember opening the window. She stepped through the doorway into her living room and flipped on the light, only to stop dead in her tracks. Marius sat on her couch, smiling at her maliciously. She couldn't breathe. The spoonful of peanut butter slipped out of the hand and crashed to the floor. Panic bubbled inside her. 

"Marius," Eponine rasped. 

"Hello dear. It's been a while, hasn't it," he smiled, standing. 

Eponine took an involuntary step backward, "How did you get in here?"

"That doesn't matter. All that matters is that I've found you, and you can come home," Marius said. 

         "No I'm not going anywhere with you. You're a monster."

Marius grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked upward, eliciting a yelp out of Eponine. 

"You'll do as I say!" he boomed. 

Tears sprung into Eponine's eyes, "My neighbors, they'll hear the commotion and they'll come help me."

"Oh yes, you're little boyfriend who lives next door? Didn't think I knew about him did you, you little whore? Is it not enough that you ran from me? You cheated on me too?" Marius screamed. 

"Please, Marius, just let me go," she whimpered. 

"No, you've got a lesson to learn," he growled. 

Just then, there was a knock on the door, sending trembles through Eponine. 

"That's my neighbor, I'm sure of it," Eponine said shakily. 

She nearly screamed when Marius pulled a gun out of the waistband of his pants.

"Then you answer it and get him to go away. If you, in any way clue him in that I am here, I will shoot him and kill him," he threatened. 

Eponine wiped the tears from her eyes and went to answer the door while Marius hid just around the corner, still able to keep an eye on his wife's back and the visitor. 

She eased the door open to see a very worried Grantaire standing there.

"I heard something loud, sounded like yelling. Is everything okay, Ep? Are you alright?"

Eponine crossed her arms and shook her head, "I'm fine. I just ran into the table in the dark and hurt my knee. Just had a little temper tantrum."

As slyly as she could, Eponine pointed to her ring finger and cut her eyes to the left. Grantaire caught her signals and nodded. 

"Alright, well I just wanted to make sure. Call me if you need anything."

She told him goodnight and shut the door. Marius yanked her around the corner and held her arm in a crushing grip. 

"Now, back to business," he hissed. 

Suddenly, there was a loud crash as Grantaire broke the front door down. Marius shoved Eponine to the ground and went after Grantaire. Eponine screamed as the two began to struggle. Grantaire was able to knock the gun from Marius’s hand, and he yelled for Eponine to grab it. She snatched it up, even though she was too afraid to shoot, for fear of accidentally shooting Grantaire. She was sobbing uncontrollably now, every inch of her trembling. Marius gained control of the struggle and slammed Grantaire into the small table and mirror in the hallway, shattering the glass. He pushed Grantaire back and shoved him so that his head hit the corner of the doorframe. Grantaire stumbled back and collapsed on the porch, no longer moving. 

"Grant!" Eponine cried, running to his side, the gun still clutched in her hand. 

He was out cold, blood trickling down his forehead. She looked up to see Marius heading down the hall at her. 

"Stop! Don't come any further!" she yelled at him. 

But he only smiled, continuing his walk. Eponine squeezed her eyes shut and fired the gun. She didn't open them again until she heard a thud. There Marius was, sprawled in the middle of the hallway. Releasing a breath, she dropped the gun and ran to the phone, right by Marius. She shakily punched in 911. 

"Hello? I need help. My husband, he tried to kill me and my neighbor, and I've shot him. Please help," she cried. 

As the operator was responding, she suddenly felt a blinding pain in her leg, and she fell to the ground with a scream, dropping the phone. Marius, who she thought was dead, had stabbed her in the back of the leg with a shard from the broken mirror. She pulled herself across the floor and reached for the discarded gun, crying hysterically. Once she had wrapped her fingers around the weapon, she flipped over and fired in Marius's direction. Then, other than Eponine's sobs, the house was silent and everything was still. Marius was motionless, blood pooling around him. She kept the gun gripped tightly in her hands and slid against the door frame, crying. Only a few minutes later, help arrived. Sirens were everywhere, and the next thing Eponine knew, she was being loaded into the back of an ambulance.