Children Shouldn't Live Like This – Chapter 10
"Messieurs,
I apologize for leaving so quickly, but I knew that if I didn't everyone would want me to stay. I cannot. I also apologize for not being able to pay you for the bandages and the room, but I promise I will when I get the money in the future.
Sorry for my bad handwriting. I am still practicing.
Thank you all for everything you have done for me for the past weeks. Monsieur Joly, thank you for treating me, and I'm sorry for leaving before you said it would be okay. I feel fine now, so don't worry. Monsieur Enjolras and monsieur Marius, thank you for taking time to teach me about French history and how to read and write. I am sure this will be important in the future. Monsieur Grantaire and monsieur Courfeyrac, thank you for your many talks, I appreciate the time you have spent with me.
Don't worry about me, I know what to do.
I hope I'll see you all some time in the future.
Amitiés,
Gavroche"
It was near the end of another winter, the ground covered with a thin layer of melting sleet. Snow came sporadically those days, but the biting winter wind was still very much present as it cut through the skin of those who went unprotected, namely the poor and the homeless. The rich, on the other hand, sat comfortably in their horse-drawn carriages and looked down in disgust at the underprivileged that gathered in hordes begging for money.
Trying his best to block out the horrifying sights and trying not to imagine Gavroche as one of the dirty, malnourished street urchins, Courfeyrac hastily made his way towards the university, already late for a lecture. Stopping only momentarily to drop a franc into the bowl of a beggar who had done a favor for him in the past, Courfeyrac's thoughts were preoccupied as he went about his way, primarily due to the letter that Marius had found on the bed in the guesthouse above the café just earlier that day. In his hands was an additional small, blue jacket that was designed to protect against the wind, which he had failed to deliver to its intended recipient in time.
To some extent, Courfeyrac had braced himself for Gavroche's departure from their lives, however he didn't expect Gavroche to strip off his bandages and splints and take off in the middle of the night, with nothing except for the clothes on his back. His heart, already attuned to the cheerful young boy's presence, pounded rapidly as he worried for Gavroche who, if he had decided not to return to his old home, didn't have appropriate clothes to ward off the cold or any money to buy food with.
What was the child thinking? Did he really not want to be indebted to them so badly that he would risk his own health and survival yet again?
Now feeling slightly angry with the boy for disregarding their efforts, Courfeyrac prayed that Gavroche had at least the courtesy to tell his own sister of his plans, lest she worry herself to death. She was his protector, after all. Thinking about his own anxieties and wondering how Eponine would feel when she returns to the café to visit and finds her brother gone, Courfeyrac held his coat tighter around himself as a particularly chilling wind hit him.
As he walked past a certain house owned by a certain crafty cheat, Courfeyrac's footsteps slowed as his eyes caught the sight of a familiar blond-haired boy, who was kicking at the snow in front of the front door and staring contemplatively at it.
Gavroche.
In utter disbelief that he was so lucky to see Gavroche again mere hours after he had disappeared, and incredulous about Gavroche's apparent decision to beg his way back into a loathsome household, it took all of Courfeyrac's willpower to not immediately run forward, snatch the little boy and bring him back to the guesthouse. Reminding himself that Gavroche had free will and was allowed to exercise it, Courfeyrac hastily ducked into a nearby alley before he was seen.
Gavroche continued kicking the snow around for a few more minutes. Even as Courfeyrac stood a few dozen feet away, he could already see that Gavroche was shivering slightly in the merciless winter wind, thanks to his clothes, which only provided a miniscule layer of protection. Looking down at the blue jacket in his arms, Courfeyrac was just about to walk forward and cover him up in it, when Gavroche made an action that caused him to stop.
Taking deep breaths and tentative steps up to the front door of the household, Gavroche commanded his heart to still as he raised a small fist and knocked thrice on the door of his family's home. As he waited for the door to be answered, Gavroche impatiently tapped his feet on the ground, which warmed him up somewhat as the wind continued to blow.
The door then opened. Eponine gasped.
"Ga…Gavroche!"
Smiling brightly at his sister who had not been expecting him to turn up at their doorstep, Gavroche waved at Eponine, who returned his gesture in utter confusion.
"Hi Eponine! Is papa at home?"
Just as Eponine was about to respond to his question, a familiar, distasteful loud shouting came from the stairs, rapidly increasing in amplitude as its owner made his way down to the living room.
"Eponine! Who is it? Shut the door, you're letting the cold in!"
Stepping into the living room, Monsieur Thenardier stopped short when he saw a familiar young boy who had not seen in over a month. The boy stared back at him blankly, this time without a trace of fear in his eyes. Unaccustomed to seeing Gavroche not terrified at his presence, Monsieur Thenardier grinned a nasty, toothy smile as he folded his arms, trying to intimidate his son. He received no response.
"Well well…look who it is."
Gavroche clenched his fists as he saw the man who had tortured him endlessly over the past years.
"What do you want, boy? If I remember correctly, I threw you out and told you stay out of our house." Monsieur Thenardier took a few threatening steps forward. "What, are you back for another spanking? I'd be glad to oblige."
Eponine looked worriedly to and fro between her brother and her father. Placing a hand on Gavroche's shoulder and trying to silently convince him to leave before he got hurt, she was surprised when Gavroche placed his own hand on her own comfortingly.
"It's okay, Eponine. I know what to do."
Monsieur Thenardier, getting impatient, frowned as he watched his son, whom he had tried to undermine for years, speak nonchalantly to his daughter.
"Spit it out, boy. Are you going to beg to come back? Mind you, I'm a tough one to convince."
Trying not to gag at his father's vile countenance, Gavroche took a deep breath. With the charm of a youthful boy soprano, a melodious, chirpy tune came spilling from between his lips with overwhelming gusto.
"Little people know
When little people fight
We may look easy-pickins
But we've got some bite!"
Utterly bewildered at Gavroche's spontaneous song, Monsieur Thenardier merely stared back, dumbfounded.
"So don't just kick a dog
Because he's just a pup!"
Eponine, equally perplexed, prodded Gavroche gently as her brother bent down and scooped up a handful of snow from the porch.
"Gavroche…what're you doing?"
"We'll fight like twenty armies
And we won't give up!"
Ignoring his sister, Gavroche slowly screwed the snow in his hands into a tight ball, creating his favorite winter toy.
"So you'd better run for cover
When the pup…"
Realizing what Gavroche was about to do, and recognizing the disastrous implications that would come, Eponine knelt down in front of her brother and placed both hands on her shoulder, silently begging him to stop.
"Grows…"
A wide grin emerged on Gavroche's face.
"Up!"
At the same moment where he sang the last word of the verse, Gavroche flung the snowball over his sister's shoulder with alarming speed. In disbelief at his son's disobedience, Monsieur Thenardier didn't duck, only to be hit straight in the face by a ball of wet snow that disintegrated on impact. With his upper body covered in cold snow that rapidly melted into water and drenched his clothes, Monsieur Thenardier seethed, his hands tensed on his sides as his blood began to boil.
Eponine winced.
"YOU DAMN BRAT!"
"See you later, Eponine!"
Kissing his sister quickly on her cheek, Gavroche turned heel and raced down the steps in front of the house, nearly tripping as he went. Racing at lightning speed away from the house of his nightmares for the last time, Gavroche looked back as he heard more loud shouting, and saw something that made his heart leap up his throat. His father, brandishing a long stick raised threateningly above his head, was giving chase at an alarming speed.
"I'LL KILL YOU, BOY!"
Turning his back towards his front, Gavroche sped through the streets of Paris, making abrupt turns in an attempt to shake his father off. Not wanting to even consider how much pain he would be experiencing if his father actually got his dirty hands on him, Gavroche started to panic as he realized that his father was far too fast for his short eight-year-old legs to handle.
His legs throbbing painfully, Gavroche looked back once more fearfully, eyes widening as he caught sight of his father, who looked positively bullish as he pursued his son.
Connerie!
Before could he could react, Gavroche felt his entire body tilt as a pair of hands grabbed him around his torso and hoisted him upwards. Thinking that one of his father's henchmen had captured him, Gavroche let out a sharp scream. Disoriented by the world turning about his vision, Gavroche then found himself with his arms around the shoulders of his kidnapper, with two hands supporting his behind as he was piggybacked. He then looked behind, only to see his father, still more furious than ever, gradually growing smaller in his vision.
Finally realizing that he was being sped away, Gavroche turned to the front to identify his savior, and beamed.
"Monsieur Courfeyrac!"
Zooming further and further away from a murderous Monsieur Thenardier, Courfeyrac responded to Gavroche's greeting with a glare.
"Gavroche, are you suicidal?!"
Biting his lip to conceal his grin, Gavroche leant his head against Courfeyrac's shoulder, enjoying his momentary protection.
Having finally gotten away from Monsieur Thenardier, Courfeyrac walked briskly into an open area within the marketplace and set Gavroche back down onto his feet. Now feeling incredibly guilty for taking up Courfeyrac's time and effort yet again, Gavroche looked up to apologize, only to grimace at the frown that remained on Courfeyrac's face.
"I…I'm sorry, monsieur Courfeyrac!"
"About what, exactly? Making me save you, or running away from us, leaving only a letter behind?"
Closing his eyes tightly as he looked down remorsefully the ground, Gavroche tried his best not to cry. He was then surprised yet again by Courfeyrac wrapping him up in a little blue jacket.
"N…no, monsieur Courfeyrac! I cannot possibly take any more from you!"
Defiantly buttoning the coat up, Courfeyrac tilted Gavroche's eyes to face him with a finger under his chin.
"It's a gift. Don't refuse it; it'll keep you warm. There are a couple of francs in one of its pockets for you to buy food with. Don't-" Raising his index finger to Gavroche's lips, Courfeyrac stared back sternly at the boy, who fell silent. "Don't interrupt me. Just listen, alright?"
Gavroche slowly nodded his head.
"Listen…I know you don't want to take charity, and you don't want to be indebted to the five of us, and I can understand that. If you want to live by yourself on the streets, fine by me, you have my blessing. All I can ask is that you keep yourself safe and stay out of trouble. Do you have friends living on the streets?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"Excellent. Stick with them, look after each other. Make sure you keep in contact with your sister whenever you can, she'll be worried about you. One more thing," Courfeyrac gritted his teeth as he prayed that Gavroche would accept his proposition. "The five of us have…talked about to do if you left us. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays…come by the café around the late afternoon. Marius, Enjolras and I will continue teaching you French and history. Don't refuse that either, even if you say no now I won't tell both of them, so you'll be keeping them waiting for nothing, and I know you don't want to be rude."
Touched by the heartwarming gesture, Gavroche felt his lower lip trembling and tears well up in his eyes. Feeling emotional himself, Courfeyrac wrapped Gavroche in his arms and squeezed him tightly.
"We're going to miss you, Gavroche."
At that, the tears began to flow unrestrained from Gavroche's eyes. Never before had he experienced such kindness. Never before had he been offered anything more than meager rations and unfair punishments. Never had anyone been so nice. Choking out words, Gavroche returned Courfeyrac's hug with one of his own.
"Me…merci, monsieur!"
His own eyes starting to sting, Courfeyrac let go of Gavroche. Attempting to break the emotional tension, he decided to make a joke.
"If you're feeling bored at any time, just pop by the café. Grantaire will probably be there all the time, if you know what I mean."
Chuckling at Courfeyrac's joke, Gavroche wiped his eyes and nodded his head.
"I'm running really late for class now, so…stay safe, alright?"
"I promise!"
"Good."
As Gavroche walked into the crowd, Courfeyrac swore under his breath as he wiped away his own tears with his coat sleeve, cursing himself for being so silly as to cry when they would be seeing Gavroche again in a few days time. Just as he was able to turn away and make his way towards the university, he heard a shout from behind him.
"Merci, monsieur Courfeyrac!"
Waving back at the tiny hand that popped out above the endlessly flowing stream of people, Courfeyrac chuckled and shook his head before turning around.
The boy was gutsy and resourceful. He would be safe. Courfeyrac knew that.
Realizing exactly how late he was for the lecture, Courfeyrac took a moment to regain his bearings as he set off on a quick brisk, knowing that he would be hearing about his disregard for his own education from Enjolras for a very long time.
Author's Note – This was easily my favorite chapter to write. Switching between elements of humor and emotion was a bit of a challenge, but I think I pulled it off pretty well. I understand that it might seem a little abrupt, but I'd rather end it via this chapter than stretching out my mental processes by thinking up a few more chapters of filler plot that could potentially complicate things unnecessarily. So, timeskip + letter + confrontation + goodbye for now. Hopefully everybody's okay with that.
In case people didn't realise, I let Gavroche make up the second part of the verse by himself. I mean, come on...let's not take all the song credits away from him. xD
Well, this is the final part of an unofficial "part 1" for the story, which comprises Gavroche's familiarity with the students before the events of the actual musical. At this point Valjean and Cosette are already in hiding from Javert. I will continue the story, but the next chapter will see a massive timeskip that spans around three years. I'll essentially be telling Gavroche's story from my own perspective, and as usual, injecting my own ideas as I go along.
Reviews appreciated, and thank you for sticking with me so far.