Chapter Four

Marius:

What was I thinking? I can't believe I just left Cosette. I should probably turn around and apologize. But I can't stop worrying about poor Eponine. It was practically my fault that she died. Or, I thought she died. Why are women so bloody complicated. I should just buy a dog be done with it. That worked out well for General Lamarque. Up until everything went wrong.

One thing is for sure. I need to figure out what I'm going to do now. I can't sit on this stupid bench for my entire life. I need to act. "Alright, I'll flip a coin. If it's heads, I'll go after Eponine. If it's tails, I'll go back to Cosette." I grabbed a coin from my pocket and threw it up in the air. I started running before it hit the ground.

I couldn't sit there and let a coin decide my fate for me. I was going after Eponine. I abandoned her once. I knew for sure I wouldn't be doing that a second time. I was not going to be responsible for her death a second time. She left me that note for a reason. Fate can wait till I go save my best friend.

I laughed. My best friend. Seems silly to think I might actually be falling for my best friend. Someone should've warned me about these things. I bet if Enjoras were still here, he'd know the answer. He always did seem to know the answer to everything. He was planning a war and still knew that I was in love and needed guidance on what to do. God, I wish he was still here.

I rounded the corner and started walking down the main road. I knew exactly where Eponine would be. There's only one train station near here that I know of. It was all the way in Charlotte, but it was the only way she'd ever get anywhere. Having a plan in action, I walked forward happy for once that I did something for another for once.

After walking for hours, I finally reached the outskirts of Charlotte. I stopped and looked around for someone decent to talk to.

"Excuse me, miss. Can you point me in the direction of the train station?" I asked to the woman walking by me.

She looked at me with fidgeting hands, and then ran off towards the opposite direction.

"Wait! I just need to-" I start heading after her, bumping into a large body.

"The train station you say? I can help you out there. Show you the way," the large body said, starting to walk down the road.

"Thank you, sir! I've never been into Charlotte and I couldn't get an answer out of that lady, so that's very kind of you." I say following the figure. He didn't say much on the walk. I tried to make small talk. I guess he wasn't interested. Finally we rounded a corner behind a big, rusted building and stopped.

"This doesn't look like the train station. I mean, maybe I'm wrong but all the books showed the station to be a lot, um, nicer." I said turning around to look at the building.

"Kid, stop talking," the large body said and grabbed my shirt and pulled me close to his face. "Now, I'm going to take everything you have. Anything valuable is mine. You scream or yell, you die. You tell anyone about this, like the police or anyone on the street, you die. Got it, kid?"

I stood there shaking. I was speechless. "I - um"

"No talking. You know the rules. Don't follow them and you die," he says opening his coat pocket, showing the gun inside his pocket.

I flinched. I gulped and lowered my hands to my side and closed my eyes. I felt his hands grab inside my pockets. He took everything out, the coins and bills. He then snatched my wrist and took took the ring off my finger. Then he looked me over and took my hat off my head. "And I'll be taking that jacket too," he said sternly.

I quickly ripped the sleeves off my arms and handed it over to him. "Now, run away. Go," he said pushing me in the opposite direction.

I got mugged! I got mugged! I tried to scream, but nothing would come up. All I could do was run. My legs were the only thing working. I ran until my legs gave in and I collapsed on a near by bench. You scream or yell, you die. You tell anyone about this, like the police or anyone on the street, you die. I knew I couldn't do anything about it. I wanted to live. I wasn't going to waste my second chance of life by throwing it away.

"Oh, Eponine. If you were here, you'd know exactly what to do!" I said outloud, burying my face to my hands in shame.