Eponine walked down the street with her arms folded. Since when was she the messenger girl? Why couldn't her Father have sent Cosette out on this 'special job'. She could be killed. He didn't care.
He was sending her to the home of a murderer. No. He was sending her to the sewers to meet a murderer. The sewers! Eponine could not bear the thought. Her Father wanted acceptance into a gang and he was sending her to try to convince some man, Montparnasse, who was affiliated with the gang to let him in. Apparently he knew Montparnasse's Father many years ago.
Eponine rounded the corner. It was cold. It would be a cold night without her blanket. Why did Cosette have to go and sell it? Eponine groaned. Why couldn't she have gone to deliver that letter with Azelma? Why couldn't Cosette have gone to the sewers?
She rounded a corner to a dark street. It was one of the worst streets in France. Everyone there was poor and starving. It's where criminals gathered. When they first got to Paris her Mother had told her to avoid this street. Now her Father was sending her down it deliberately.
She knew where to go. There was a hole in the ground with no vent over it. The government wouldn't buy a new vent. It made for a perfect place for criminals and gang members to gather underneath it for secret meetings.
She carefully climbed down. She had shoes but they were old and so thin at the bottom they did her no good. The sewers were dirty and disgusting. Everyone's waste and garbage was dumped down there and Eponine was stepping in it. "This is Cosette's fault," she told herself. She reached the bottom of the ladder. She hesitantly dropped into the sewer ground.
"Hello," She called nervously. This man was a murderer. It was rumored he killed five women. Maybe it would be six after tonight.
"Hello pretty lady," a dirty figure appeared in the darkness. "What are you doing way down here?"
"Aren't you expecting me?" I asked. I tried to keep a straight face. I had to show him I wasn't scared.
"You're Thenardier's brat, aren't you?" He asked. Eponine gulped. Sixteen was much to young to die.
"I come here with a message from my Father," Eponine said. "He wants entrance into the Patron-Minette."
"Well," Montparnasse started walking towards Eponine and she backed up toward the wall of the sewer. "I'm afraid that's out of my control."
"Oh then I should just be goin-"
"But," Montparnasse said, backing her completely into the wall and trapping her into the wall. "I can put a good word in for him if you give me what I want."
Eponine trembled. "What is it you want?" She asked.
He ran his finger down her face. "You," he said.
Eponine tried to break away from him. "No!" She yelped.
"Listen," he said. "It is after five o'clock, is it not?"
"Y-yes," she said.
"At six o'clock that gate opens and all a bunch of water sweeps through here," Montparnasse said. "If we leave now we will able to get out of here before the water comes through. So come with me."
Eponine stared at him. "Fine," she said. But let me leave here first."
"You don't trust me," Montparnasse said.
"You haven't given me any reason to," Eponine said.
They walked toward the ladder together. Eponine climbed up slowly. "Hurry up girl!" Montparnasse shouted.
She reached the top and as the clock started to chime six. One. Two Montparnasse got on the ladder. Three. Four. Eponine kicked his hand leaving him with one hand off the ladder and one hand on. Five. Montparnasse grabbed back onto the ladder. Six. Water started coming through the gate as Montparnasse climbed up, making it difficult for him.
Eponine ran as fast as she could away from the sewers. She didn't even have a concept of where she was going. Her face burned. Why would her Father do that to her. Her face and her dress were caked in sewage. Tears were in her eyes.
She fell onto her knees on the sidewalk. As she did Cosette and Azelma walked by, on their way home from letter delivering.
"Eponine!" Cosette exclaimed. "What happened to you? Are you alright?" She knelt down beside her.
Eponine slapped her away. "Back away from me lark!" She shouted.
"Oh Eponine," Azelma said and picked up her sister. "What did Father make you do?"
Eponine stood up. "Did I lose him?" She said frantically.
"Who?" Cosette asked.
"The man in the sewers!" Eponine said.
"Let's get you home," Azelma said. She grabbed her sister's hand and led her back to the Gorbeau House.
Thenardier was still sitting at his desk and his wife was still on the bed. Gavroche was on the floor using a piece of grass he found outside as a toy. Cosette opened the door.
"They're back," Madame Thenardier said.
"Eponine, what did he say?" Thenardier asked.
"He doesn't want you in the gang," Eponine said.
"My poor daughter, you are filthy," Madame said. "Go outside to the well and clean yourself up."
"What do you mean he doesn't want me in the gang?" Thenardier shouted. "You idiot girl! I told you to give him whatever he wants! Did you do that?"
"N-no," Eponine stuttered.
"Leave her alone!" His wife said. "Ponine, go clean your face."
Eponine ran out. "What about you Cosette?" Thenardier said.
"He wouldn't give us anything," Cosette said.
Thenardier, who was in a very bad mood because all of his plans failed, slapped Cosette across the face. She whimpered. Azelma crouched down in the corner of the bed and Cosette ran out of the room to the well.
The well sat outside the building. Eponine stood by the end of the well trying to clean her face. Cosette stood beside her. "I hate this," Eponine said. "I hate this life. I want things to go back to the old way."
"I know," Cosette said.
Eponine turned away from her and walked back to the room. Cosette put water on her throbbing cheek and sighed.