Chapter 7: Upon These Stones/Building the Barricade

Here upon these stones,

We will build our barricade!

In the heart of the city,

We claim as our own!


~~**~~

Joleigh and Gavroche reached the apartment before the signal was given. She quickly ushered the boy in, ignoring his questions and demands to run over to the far window. Joleigh hastily opened the peeling shutters, allowing the oncoming noise to fill the quiet room.

"Madam! Can't I go down!" Gavroche cried. "I need to 'elp!" Joleigh turned to him and crouched down so they were at eye level.

"You will help Gav," Joleigh mussed his hair before moving back to the window. "Just in a less dangerous area.." she muttered to herself. The sounds were getting louder. Something crashed in the distance. 

"Please, Madam Joleigh! Please!" He ran over to her and started tugging at her dress. "I'm part of the rebellion! Coufeyrac said so! Enjolras said so!" Gavroche whined. Joleigh let out an aggravated sigh before heading over to Enjolras' empty desk.

"You are a very important part Gavroche. But, I need you to help me with something, do you think you can?" She looked back at the boy, knocking a fist on the desktop. Suddenly Gavroche's scowl turned into a smile.

"Ah!" He exclaimed running over to the desk and examining it. "I think I can." Joleigh smiled.

"Good. We need to move it to the window.”  Gavroche grinned and gabbed the corner of the desk.

“Easy peasy-” The little boy huffed and shoved his weight against the side of the desk. He strained for a while, puffing and fighting, “What the hell does Enjolras keep in this?”

“Gav, it’s empty.” Joleigh laughed, making Gavroche roll his eyes.

“Course I knew that!” He put his hands on his hips. “Are you helpin’ or not?” With the combined strength, they managed to move the heavy piece of furniture to the other side of the room. Joleigh glanced out the window. People were running into the street; the chaos was coming. Then there was the signal.

“We need as much furniture as you can throw down!” Coufeyrac shouted to the window tops. Joleigh and Gavroche crouched under the desk, then using their backs, tipped the desk out the window. It mingled with the deafening crashes of other furniture below. Hopefully it didn’t crush someone. The girl frowned slightly; That was the most expensive thing we owned. Joleigh and Gav looked at their work. Men immediately started to move its remains down the street. A piano smashed into the cobble, a table, an armchair; the people were helping.

“Good work Gav!” Joleigh exclaimed, turning to congratulate her little friend. But, Gavroche had already left, bouncing down the stairs to the street to join in the excitement. Joleigh had done what was needed of her, now, what was she to do?  

Enjolras ran down the street, almost laughing with the sheer joy; it had worked-it had worked! The barricade was building up, more and more people threw down their furniture to add to the pile. There was a carriage, a piano, even a couple coffins among the numerous amount of broken chairs and tables. He helped his men carry a long table out of the tavern and to the front of the barricade and push it up against the carriage. Scrambling to the other side, Enjolras glimpsed up, right where the window to his apartment was. Joleigh was watching. When she saw him, his face broke out into a smile and she happily returned it.

“Is there anything else?” He called to her.

“No.”

“What about my chair?”

“Your chair?” She looked confused.

“You know the one- with my desk? Its made of wood? It usually sits beneath my desk? You know it!” He was buzzing. They needed everything they could get. Enjolras even pondered running up and attempting to toss the bed out.

“Oh! You mean the only chair we have?” Joleigh’s eyebrows knitted together.

“Of course! Toss it my love!” Enjolras cried. “You may have as many chairs as you wish when this is over; I promise!” His fiancée shook her head in amusement, disappeared from sight then reappeared with the chair. In one quick shove, it crashed at his feet, the back cracking in half. “Merci!” Enjolras sprinted away not catching the way Joleigh’s face fell. Leaping back over the mass of furniture he sprinted into the café to check the weapon supply, Marius joining him. The first thing they saw was Grantaire, completely oblivious, with some kitchen wench across his lap.

“Get off your ass! It’s begun!” Marius exclaimed giving the black haired man a shove as he ran past and up the stairs. The wench giggled.

“Make yourself useful for once.” Enjolras growled in disgust. Grantaire’s head swung around, and upon seeing Enjolras’s burning glare, pushed the girl off him almost repulsively and ran out side, dragging the chair he was sitting on to the barricade. The look he gave the leader was almost one of hurt. Enjolras took a deep breath and checked the rest of the café for any useful furniture. It was empty. Satisfied, he ran outside. “Each man to his duty, don’t be afraid!” As he addressed his men, he helped Combeferre lift a cartwheel up onto the barricade.

“Wait!” Feuilly shouted. “We need a report on the strength of the foe, someone volunteer as our spy, anyone?” Enjolras looked eagerly at each man.

“I can find out the truth.” An old fellow he had not seen before stated. “I know their ways and even fought wars beside them in the days of my youth. I will do it.” His face was dirty and his clothes in patches. Upon his chest was the rose of the république. In the heat of the moment Enjolras nodded, clasping the man on the shoulder, trusting him. Prouvaire beamed and gave the man a pistol.

“Now the people will fight!” He exclaimed.

“I pray your right…” muttered Grantaire, who was just close enough for Enjolras to hear. He was in too happy a mood to be angry with the stupid drunk.

“They will do what is right!” Lesgles cheers. Using the carriage doors as a tunnel through the barricade, Enjolras ushered their spy through explaining what information was needed and wanted.

“You are very noble.” Enjolras smiled as the man went through the doors. “The people thank you.” His hard face softened and looked to the ground, and the spy disappeared without a word, turning the corner into an alley. Enjolras went back to watch over his comrades. Coufeyrac and Combeferre were organizing the guns, Joly and Bahorel stacking the barrels, Feuilly and Prouvaire handing out smaller pistols with Gavroche dancing at their feet trying to get ahold of one. “Marius?” Enjolras enquired after his friend. “Where is he?” He asked Grantaire, who was leaning against a building, doing nothing to help as usual. The drunk eyed him, bringing his bottle to his smirking lips. Enjolras bristled, clenching his tight fists before snatching the drink out of his hands. Some men turned to look. “Where?” Grantaire held his hands over his head in mock defense, laughing but reddening at the attention he brought.

“Over there, God damn you…” He mumbled, signaling a thumb to over by the café. Enjolras scowled at the man before him and threw the glass bottle on the ground. It broke into a million green pieces and the brown absinthe inside soaked between the cracks in the cobble. With that, Enjolras stormed over to the café. Like he missed Joleigh’s last expression; he missed the look of misery on Grantaire. He found Marius anxiously talking to some skinny young boy. He handed him a letter and the boy hurried off.

“Marius?” Enjorlas asked concerned. His friend looked as he were in a daze. He repeated himself and the Marius woke.

“Yes? Right- the barricade. Is everything sorted?” He asked walking back onto sight with the leader.

“Yes, it’s complete.” Enjolras proudly motioned a hand to where the mass of wood stood. “Now we do is wait for our spy to return.” Suddenly a flash of red appeared on top of the barricade at the corner of his eye. He spun quickly, on edge, thinking it was a bit of officer uniform. Instead it was Joleigh, with the flag in her hand.

“You forgot something.” She smiled, wobbling on the uneven beams trying to find the safest route down. Prouvaire and Coufeyrac immediately helped her down off the barricade and she walked up to face him, the red fabric swinging with every step she could. “Will you do the honors?” Joleigh held out the pole to him, staring into his blue eyes with her own. Enjolras could not explain how much he wanted to take her then and there. Instead he smiled, gave her a sensitive touch on the arm and took the flag.

“Let them come in their legions and they will be met!” Marius proclaimed.

“This is where it begins!” Combeferre cheered.

“Let’s give ‘em a screwing they’ll never forget!” Joly added.

“Have faith in yourselves and don’t be afraid-“ Enjolras said after the cheers died down. Everyone watched as he climbed their wall. “Let them come if they dare!” He shouted at the top of his lungs, plunging the flag into the beams of the barricade. “We’ll be there!” 

~~**~~

Well here we are. The barricades. I'm sorry I didn't make this a bit longer, but i felt that the next chapter should be on it's own as it holds a very important part!

What did you think? Please comment your opinions, I love reading them!

-Grantaire/Kat xx 

P.S : Have you checked out the trailer? Link: