She crawled up, feeling only pity for herself. She collected her hat which had been dumped in a pool of water and tried to clean her coat with it. Then she pulled it over her head. She wrapped the cold coat around her skinny features in an attempt to regain her normal temperature. She clenched her fists whilst they were tugged deep into her pockets and went on her way, limping slightly, still with an intense pain in her stomach. It would probably take three whole days before she would be able to eat normally again. It was always three days.

She walked aimlessly until she reached parts of the city where she had been just a mere 12 hours ago. Without noticing it she had walked all the way back to the barricades. Sudden fear became her. There were no sounds of fighting left, just some shouting. A lot of fog… She crawled against a wall. What if the fights were over? Did everyone die? What happened? She didn't see anyone out on the street. Surely if the revolution had succeeded people would come out and celebrate. Trembling like an earthquake she continued her path carefully, watching every single step she took, like a cat in the dark.

She avoided contact with any other human being. The only people she saw were Guards, and she had to avoid them at all cost. If they would see her, she'd be dead before she had touched earth. One time she thought she recognised a member of Patron Minette, sneaking from body to body, robbing their poor souls. He fled as he heard her coming. She wondered who it had been. She knew them so well… She shivered as she remembered Montparnasse.

Carefully she moved on, until she reached the part of the barricade where Marius had died. It was here where the leading students had fought. She came around the corner and froze at what she saw. Some five National Guards were piling up the bodies. They had to carry a body with three men: dead weight was hard to lift. There were three piled up. Another one was carried towards it, a bottle still clenched in his still hand. 'Ponine got out of sight by climbing behind a pile of rubble as she continued to watch. Was Marius along there somewhere too? She noted how two Guards tried to get someone from the barricade. The young male had gorgeous blonde hair; he must have been the only blonde male she had ever seen. One of the Guards tore the red flag apart. Éponine blinked and turned her head slightly to see the new development. Some Guards were shouting: one of their fellow men had come round. 'Ponine narrowed her eyes to see it clearly: an elder man got up, helped by one of the Guards. He had grey hair and a beard… It was Cosette's father! She frowned. What did this mean? Did he spy for the National Guard? Was it not her, but he who was responsible for Marius' death? She felt something boil within her. Suddenly, she heard another voice yelling. It was that of a female. Éponine fixated on her. The pretty young bourgeois ran in the direction of the guards. She was a lady of class: a nice black dress with white lace. Éponine wrapped her arms around her and took a hold of the dirty chemise, pulling it around her. The young lady had beautiful dark curls. She carried a marvellous white kerchief which her gloved hand brought to her eyes. She ran on the best of shoes Éponine had ever seen. She felt immense jealousy. Of course Marius had chosen this bourgeois woman. She was the most precious of her kind. His kind. Cosette was simply magnificent. The swan and the crow.

"Marius! Marius!"

The woman cried her heart out. She was beyond herself. She reached the Guards and her father, whom she didn't directly recognise. She tried to run past them but her father grabbed her.

"Cosette…"

Frightened, she looked at him.

"Papa!"

She hugged him tightly as her shoulders trembled with her grief. He embraced her like only a father can embrace his daughter. She looked at him, tears running down her face. She noticed the blood on his shirt.

"Papa! Are you alright?"

Her eyes carried a deep fear.

"I am fine my child. Do not worry."

She reached out to him and stroked his cheek. She smiled.

"Now where is Marius? Surely if you are all well he is too."

She tried to turn around but he grabbed her wrist.

"Cosette…"

He shook his head. She looked at him in doubt, tears once more filling her hazel brown eyes. The sound of his voice was discomforting her. She shook her head.

"No…"

He kept looking at her with the same expression on his face.

"No!"

She cried out and sank to the ground; he supported her as she fell. Together they sat on the floor while she was screaming in pain. Éponine's anger surfaced. This brute was actually trying to comfort his daughter while he was responsible for killing her love? How twisted was that? She pressed her nails in her hands as she clenched her fists.

"No! No papa, no…"

Cosette sobbed. He tried to calm her down and hugged her tightly.

"I am so sorry Cosette..."

Cosette looked at him, her face was red.

"I loved him so… And he loved me… I will never love again…"

She let her head sank in her hands. Suddenly a shadow fell across them and she looked up, seeing no more than a silhouette. Papa helped her get up, she wiped her tears. She recognised the silhouette now.

"Éponine."

Éponine gave her a dirty look and then turned her attention to Cosette's father.

"You killed 'im."

He frowned and then raised his eyebrows.

"You killed Marius."

He shook his head whilst Cosette turned to him and shook her head in doubt.

"You shouldn't be joking about such a serious matter."

Éponine frowned deeply, convinced with his guilt.

"But you did."

He shook his head again and took Cosette's arm.

"I most certainly did not."

Cosette shook her head and angrily turned to Éponine.

"Get out of here."

Éponine shook her head.

"Oh no. You have to know. You must know!"

Cosette's father pulled his daughter's arm.

"Come, Cosette. Let her be."

She pulled herself loose and stood before Éponine.

"How dare you say such a thing? You haven't any manners. For God's sake, I just lost my beloved."

She lost her voice on the last word and broke down in a new flow of tears. Her father grabbed her shoulders and looked at Éponine as if she was dirt.

"Leave my daughter alone. She is in intense pain for her love, something you will never know."

Éponine's mouth dropped open. How dare he? She spat at his feet. He lifted his hand but Cosette stopped him.

"Please papa. You are right. Enough of this."

They started to walk away.

"Wait!"

Éponine ran forward and grabbed Cosette's hands.

"Cosette, Cosette I know that you are merciful. But please..."

Cosette's father tried to pull her away from Éponine but she shook her head. Éponine squeezed her hands and Cosette stared at her dirty fingers touching the fine fabric of her gloves.

"Please listen to me. Your father is wearin' an army uniform… How would you explain that? He carried a gun. I was there… I saw 'im… He aimed… and bang!"

She made Cosette jump. 'Ponine looked up into her eyes. They had changed. Tears were welling up in them, anger replaced by sorrow. Slowly she shook her head.

"No."

Then she turned around, her father placing and arm around her shoulder while they walked away slowly.

"Fine!"

Éponine shouted.

"He killed him! Jealousy can drive you mad! He killed Marius because he loves you!"

The two figures froze. White with anger, Cosette's father turned around. Cosette tiredly turned around too and watched as he walked towards Éponine who was now also in tears. She cried loudly, the skinny figure shaking from the emotions. Cosette's father grabbed her upper arm, squeezed so hard that she made a protesting sound.

"Don't turn it around! You are twisting the facts. You killed Marius. He would not have gone to the barricades if it wasn't for you! It is your fault, Éponine. Yours entirely! You are mad with jealousy. So mad, that you wanted to kill the only one you ever loved."

He yelled so loudly that everyone around them turned to see what was happening. Éponine screamed and covered her ears. Cosette ran forward and pushed him aside.

"So you killed my beloved. You killed him and his love! You hurt him. Not because he is dead, but because he would never see his love again. Me! You killed him. And what for? What did your twisted mind think? To make sure that he wouldn't be with anyone else? It was all just a fantasy anyway, for he would never, ever be with you!"

She broke down and let out a desperate scream. She nearly fainted but her father caught her.

"You killed him… You killed Marius…"

She cried as he carried her. Away from the barricade, away from the fighting and death.

Éponine remained in the same position for a couple of minutes. Her eyes were pressed closed so tightly that it hurt her, her ears fumbled underneath her hands. Her face was red and wet. Suddenly she frightened and fell on the ground because someone kicked her.

"Get out."

A National Guard lifted the backside of his gun and she duck away. Sobbing she crawled to a safe place, where she remained for a couple of hours. Her knees against her chest; face buried in her arms.

It was night now. The National Guards had mostly left and the city was calm again. Éponine was restless. She still sat there on the same spot when someone neared her.

"Go away 'Parnasse," she moaned.

She heard him laugh. It was too dark to see his face.

"Here's the little slut. What's going on 'Ponine?"

Éponine got to her feet and became angry with him.

"I said, go away!"

She turned around and walked away, if it wasn't for him to pull her back roughly. She yelled as he pressed her against him. He was drunk. She could smell it. She pushed him away and tried not to sound frightened.

"Leave me alone!"

She managed to break free and started to run but he was quick even when he was drunk and threw her against the wall. She screamed and kicked as he ribbed her trousers. He placed his hands on her breasts while he forced her to cooperate. She yelled, bit and scratched.

"No!"

She kicked him feverishly, she had to get away. Then she reached forward with her face and bit his cheek. He cursed and jumped backwards, falling to the ground as he did so. She tried to flee but he grabbed her ankle and made her fall too. She bruised her face heavily and hurt her wrists. He climbed on her back. She noticed a silvery light in the pool next to her and a second later there was a blade pressed in her neck. He pressed hard and made her warm blood stream down slowly past her neck.

"Obey, or else…"

He ripped her coat off her. She cried.

"I won't!"

She rolled around, grabbing his hand along with the knife, carving it in her cheek.

"Do it," she urged.

He looked at her with astonishment. She brought her face close to his while she carved a second one next to the other.

"Do IT!" She yelled.

"Good God Éponine. You're mad."

He took the knife, flipping it around before tugging it in his belt. He let her go and walked away. 'Ponine crawled up.

"'Parnasse!"

She yelled, clawing her own face, spreading the blood. She hated. She hated herself. She was scum indeed. She had killed Marius! Cosette had made it so clear now. Her mind was clear. She crawled up and walked onto the square with the remains of the barricade and the dead, leaving her coat and hat behind. She walked slowly, limping even more than before. Her arms were trembling unstoppably. Her face wore no expression. Her tears had dried, her eyes were hollow. Slowly she walked towards the pile of dead bodies, scanning it to discover Marius. She didn't find him. She touched the upper body gently. It was hard and cold. How did it feel? She walked on, her eyes scanned the floor. Soon she found what she was looking for. She picked up a handgun from the ground. Who had it belonged to? Marius? She caressed it. Marius… She walked back to the pile of students. Standing aside of it, she touched her cheek. The blood was still coming from the wounds. It didn't hurt much. It was the daily pain of her life.

The harsh sound of a gun that went off filled the Rues of Paris for the last time.

It's nothing, Monsieur Marius
Only a bit of blood that weeps.