Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Les Miserables or its characters. I just love them so much I have to write about them!
Broken Dreams
Fantine stood there, alone, after everyone else had left. The slumped lines of her shoulders, the dejected bow of her head – these spoke of a defeat that went soul deep. Nothing was left to her now, except the thought of her child, her lovely Cosette. The harsh, ringing voice of the foreman, telling her to be on her way, had long ceased echoing through her mind; even her thoughts had left her alone for the moment.
She was as empty as her surroundings.
The factory had shut down for the day, and eventually everyone had left for their own respective homes, after having their fun taunting Fantine. She was a lone figure on a deserted street, surrounded by an oppressive silence. The world was dark with night, clouds obscured the sky, and Fantine was simply another shadow among shadows.
Absent-mindedly, she trailed her hand against the coarse fabric of her skirt; the deep, rich blue had faded with age and use, and the hem was torn and ragged. The blouse she wore had once been a pure, virgin white but was now stained to a yellowish, off-white color. Her bodice, too, had seen better days; it needed new ties which she could ill afford. All of her clothing had been patched in places; in some cases even her patches had patches, but she had not the money to spare to buy herself new clothes.
A chill wind brushed about Fantine, teasing her hair out of its cover, bringing her back to herself and causing her to wrap her knit shawl more tightly about her shoulders. Slowly, aimlessly, she wandered down the street, her thoughts returning to her. Briefly she dwelt on the loss of her job, on her new reputation, but all else fled at the thought of her beloved Cosette.
Fantine had loved Cosette's father, had dreamed of spending an eternity with him, but he had gone, leaving Fantine and Cosette to fend for themselves. Fantine, knowing that her position as an un-wed mother would net be well-received, had left her precious daughter Cosette with innkeepers, the Thénardiers, and sent much of her wages to them for the care of Cosette. She had received word that Cosette had been ill and had sent so much of her money help care for the young girl that there was barely enough left over to care for herself.
She had been on her best behavior at the factory, all because she had the sentimentality to keep the latest news about Cosette close to her, in her apron pocket. And what use was that? Fantine bitterly chided herself. She couldn't even read it on her own. But – it was the only connection she had to her daughter, and a mother's love had not permitted her to let go of it.
What was left to her now? Fantine asked herself. There was her sewing job, but it was already causing her eyes to weaken, and she could not support herself with it, let alone both herself and Cosette. What was left to her? she wondered despairingly.
Life is cruel, she thought. If she had had her way, she would now be living happily with Cosette and her father. But now that was a broken dream, just as all her other childhood dreams had been broken. They had given her hope for awhile, but now it was just too painful. Life was cruel, and she had no strength left in her to dream. There was only the reality of her life now, and her life was Cosette. She must struggle to live for her daughter, in any way she could.
A/N: This started out as an assignment for voice class; we had to research the song we were singing and write a one-page report on the background of what was happening then and what our character might be wearing then. Of course, I decided to turn it into a story, and I would greatly appreciate any and all feedback. How do you think it turned out? Good? Bad? Please let me know!