Chapter 1: One Day More
"One more day before the storm!"
"Do I follow where she goes?"
-from "One Day More" from Les Miserables
The night before the revolution.......
The city was buzzing with the news. Word was spreading fast; the revolution was coming; just one day more. Today was the day the barricades would go up. The people of France were in a frenzy. Everyone was talking about it. Everyone was planning to be there when it all started and were planning to stay until it was over. Market shoppers were stocking up on food in case they had to stay indoors for days. Families were spending time together.He had been looking for her. He had to find her; to tell her. He saw her in the street and their eyes met. She ran to him and he pulled her out of sight.
"Meet me at my apartment as soon as you can; I have to see you."
She knew why he wanted to see her, she could feel the premonition in the pit of her stomach, but she asked anyway.
"The barricades?"
"Yes. You know I will be there."
She smiled through her tears. "I know."
"I love you so much; I have to see you before I go." Marie smiled through her tears and laid her face on his chest.
"I know; I love you too." She burrowed her face into the crook of his shoulder and breathed him in, every inch of him.
"Yes, it is time." He gave her a quick hug. "I'll see you soon, Marie."
"Enjolras,"
"Yes?"
"Be careful." It was all she could say. It was so difficult to say anything more.
"I will. I promise." And he was gone.
He hurried back to the tavern. His men were preparing, making the last minute checks .
"Enjolras," Courfeyrac said to him as he walked in. "Where have you been?"
"Just making sure the word has spread." he said, looking over the men. No one knew of Marie; to them Enjolras's only love was his homeland.
"It's done," Courfeyrac said. "We are ready."
"Let's go then. "Take care." Everyone said as he left; "be safe and do not forget the plan. You are the general, not us." And the men left to their barricades. All except Enjolras, he went back to his apartment to wait for Marie.
Marie and Enjolras had met months before. Marie had been working as a maid in various houses, cafés and taverns, sometimes delivering bread and vegetables; anything to pay the rent and keep herself from starving. No family or connections in the city; an orphan's lot. It was basically by chance that they had met during her first week working as a scullery maid at the ABC Café. She would catch eye of Enjolras whenever he entered or left. She was not naive, he was the kind of man who would notice a pretty girl; yet, he seemed reluctant to approach her. She wondered if he was afraid that asking her out would cause a scene and embarrass him with her friends. It would almost certainly have happened.They fell in love very quickly, but none of his friends knew about their relationship. He was afraid what his parents would think if he married some below him. Now, just maybe, the revolution could change that. He was still terrified that something would happen to end it before it began.
