Chapter Seven: The Truth

N.B. Basically from this point some events cross over with canon, but there are changes because Grantaire from the future has acted differently than Grantaire from the brick.

Enjolras was distributing jobs. Everyone had a job except Grantaire. This was the first time Grantaire had heard Enjolras mention Marius. It hurt to see that Enjolras was more likely to consider someone who didn't even attend meetings over him.

'What about me?' Grantaire said. 'I am here'.

'You?'

'I.'

'You to indoctrinate republicans! You warm up hearts that have grown cold in the name of principle!' Enjolras smiled and shook his head. They all knew this was not a job for the cynic of the group.

'Why not?'

'You do not believe in anything.'

'I believe in you.' Grantaire answered, and this time he was conscious of it.

'Be serious.'

'I am wild.'

Enjolras considered whether he should allow Grantaire to do it. He finally decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

'Grantaire,' he spoke seriously, 'I consent to try you. You shall go to the Barriere du Maine.'

Grantaire did not know what to say to them. He could almost quote Enjolras, but he felt his words would be nowhere near as powerful. He was about to turn back, admit he was inadequate and profusely apologise to Enjolras when he thought about what Enjolras had said: I am sure you can make me believe in you.

No matter how much of a failure he was, he could not stand to disappoint Enjolras. He had to at least try. However, he was not as charismatic as Enjolras. He knew he could not make a speech during which the whole room would be silent and after which everyone would be inspired. He decided to be more subtle, perhaps play some dominoes and get his ideas across to small groups of people at a time.

In the end, not many people took him seriously, so he decided to go for a more Enjolras-like approach. He could not get silence simply be being there, so he went up to what seemed to be a respected member of the "family" and said he had something important to say to everyone.

The man called for silence and everyone obeyed.

Grantaire was trying to build up confidence. After all, he did not have to light the fire, only "blow on the embers", as Enjolras had said. A passion existed in these people, it only needed to be reawakened.

'A revolution is coming.' Grantaire decided this was the best way to get everyone's attention. 'The King's government is not even seeing us as human anymore. Things are worse than ever. People just like us are dying every day. The only thing that separates us from them is luck. The poor are receiving no help from the rich.'

'I met a young boy recently who has lived on the streets for a long time, but he has not grown cold. He is kind. He stole some bread and instead of keeping it for himself, he gave it all to the other beggars who were starving. If not for him, who knows how many of them would have been alive today.'

'It is shameful that they received help not from the rich who have everything, but from a poor boy who has nothing, just like them. We want to build a society that takes that boy as an example. It is clear that will not happen with the current government. This type of change is drastic and demands a revolution. I believe the day of revolution is fast approaching, perhaps even by the start of June.'

'There is no time to lose. Don't think that the Government cares about you. We have reason to believe they are poisoning the water, causing the current cholera outbreak. We must rise up now, because how can we be sure we won't be the next victims?'

Grantaire ended on a rhetorical question, hoping his education about persuasive writing was not wasted. The room was silent. He was unsure whether it was because he had made an impact or failed to do so.

'Our country awaits you, my friends,' he said, then he left swiftly and leaned against the wall just outside. He uncorked a bottle of wine with his teeth and started drinking. He had not been drunk when he arrived at Richefeu's; perhaps that had been a mistake.

He felt a shadow on his face and looked up to see Enjolras. He looked extremely disappointed.

'Grantaire, what are you doing? Why are you here drinking when you were meant to speak to them?'

'I did. I think you were right, Enjolras. I really am good for nothing.'

'That's not what I said…'

'Don't lie, Enjolras. It doesn't suit you.'

Just then, a young man wearing a cap who seemed to be about nineteen came out of the bar.

'Monsieur Grantaire, Monsieur Enjolras,' he nodded, 'you have my support'.

Grantaire and Enjolras were both staring at him, stunned, as he went back inside.

'Grantaire, you-' Enjolras did not finish because a group of five men came out and declared their support, just as the other one had done.

Next, the older man Grantaire had assumed was the chief joined them.

'Monsieur,' he spoke. 'Thank you for what you have done. I have tried to convince everybody for a long time, and you have managed to change our perspectives in just a few moments. You have all of our support.'

'Thank you, Monsieur.' Enjolras took over, as the disbelieving Grantaire was incapable of speech. 'We greatly appreciate your support and look forward to your cooperation with us when the rebellion comes. Please spread the message to as many people as you can.'

He waited until the man was out of earshot and proceeded to interrogate Grantaire.

'How did you do that?'

'I – don't know. I just tried to do what you do, to tell them why we have a duty to revolt and what might happen if we don't…'

'I'm sorry, Grantaire.'

'What for?'

'I didn't believe you could do this. I thought you could change, but I never thought you would have been capable of doing it right now.'

'That's alright. Nobody did. I certainly didn't.'

'Then we were all wrong.'

'Come on, Enjolras. There is no way you are admitting you were wrong.'

'But I just did. And it's true. Please forgive me.'

'As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing to forgive. Anything bad you think of me, I deserve it. I am, after all, a drunkard, a cynic and just a nuisance.'

'You're not a nuisance, Grantaire. Just look at what you managed to do. And there is not a single person at Les Amis who dislikes you. You are one of us, which is something that Joly, Bossuet and Jehan have seen from the start. I only regret it has taken me longer to notice it. Now I know your intentions are true and you are someone I can trust.'

Grantaire saw this as his opportunity to come clean.

'Then, would you believe me if I said something which defies all logic?'

'What do you mean?'

'Joly, Bossuet and Jehan already know this, and I suspect they may have convinced a few of the others.'

'But what is it?'

'Do you promise you won't ridicule me?'

'I can't promise that since I do not know what it is, but I will hear you out, even if it seems unlikely.'

'I'm from the future.'

There was a pause.

'How far in the future?'

'Really? Why does everyone react like this? Why don't you just say "That's impossible, I don't believe you" straight away?'

'Do you want me to ridicule you?'

'No, but that's not the point. I want to know if you really do believe me enough to ask the date.'

'I suppose it would explain your behaviour. Of course it is difficult to believe when it "defies all logic", like you said, but I am not so small-minded, Grantaire. You of all people should know that.'

'Then, I'm from 2016. And actually,' Grantaire said, reaching into his pocket, 'I may be able to prove it. It all depends on how good the resting battery on this thing is.'

Enjolras stared at him. He started to suspect that he may have been the one who popularised the use of the word "O-K" amongst Les Amis.

Grantaire got his phone out and held down the power button. By some miracle, the phone switched on. He had not used it since he had first shown it to Bossuet and Joly, but that was several weeks before, and there was no telling how much the battery had gone down during that time.

It was at 45%. He had no idea how the battery went down so much while the phone was turned off, but he was grateful it was still charged so he could show Enjolras.

'Look at this.' Enjolras took the phone in his hand and held it in a strange way.

'It is a picture.' Enjolras said flatly.

'No, not that! Swipe up.'

Enjolras did so and was visibly shocked.

'It – changed.' He handed the phone back. 'I absolutely believe you.'

'Wait, you don't want to see more?'

'I already believe you. There is no use in that. I would not understand it anyway.'

'Ok then, but let me try something,' he said, opening the camera. 'Smile!'

Of course Enjolras did not smile, but Grantaire took the photo anyway. He looked at it and, of course – Enjolras was photogenic. That was an understatement; the photo was almost as striking as the person.

Without thinking about Enjolras watching him expectantly, he set the photo as his background.

'There, look.' He held up the phone to Enjolras, who took a moment to process what he was seeing.

'Is that- I mean- that's- me. It's an impossible portrait of me. How did you do that? So quickly and so accurately, I- I believe you completely.'

Grantaire grinned and took the battery out, hoping that this time it would not go down at all this way.

'I know what this means, Grantaire. You have a reason for criticising my beliefs. You know the outcome, don't you? And the outcome is failure.'

'Yes,' Grantaire answered, but there was no pride in his voice. 'I don't want to be proved right, you know. But I know the facts.'

'I understand now, Grantaire, really, I do. And I see that I have misjudged you. All this time I thought you didn't care about anything. But I see that you do care about us; that is why you tried to stop us.'

'Yes.'

'It is needless to say that even if everyone had this knowledge, they would not stop. This is something we have dedicated our lives to. We have nothing else.'

'I understand that, Enjolras. And I share that opinion. If you die, I will follow you.'