Tag / les miserables

by booksoverlookedblog

FFM 25: Valjean Suite

Any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. I do not consent to this work being summarized or fed to generative AI, and anyone who does so is a big dweeb.

July is Flash Fiction Month! I’ll be sharing short short stories here through the month of July. 

Many apologies to Victor Hugo.

what have i done sweet Jesus what have i done

One day more.

Jean Valjean was ready.

“I did not live until today,” Marius crooned. “How can I live when we are parted?”

Valjean swooped in between the young couple. “You don’t even know her! You met, like, two songs ago, and now you’re just going to DIE because we’re moving?”

He socked Marius in the nose.

Eponine looked to the sky. “One more day on my own…”

Valjean put his hands on Eponine’s shoulders. “GIRL. He doesn’t love you. You need to move on. You absolutely do NOT need to die on the barricades for this man.”

“You’re one of my dearest friends,” Marius started.

Eponine punched him, saving Valjean the trouble.

Valjean sat Enjolras down. “KEEP YOUR FUCKING POWDER DRY.” He held up a massive fist. “Or the army will be the least of your problems!”

The Thénardiers schemed.

Valjean kicked in a grate to the Paris sewers. “I’m using my considerable wealth to send your kids to London so they don’t die on the barricade.”

He threateningly held up a stale baguette. “But I’ve been wanting to do this for years.”

The bread thrashing would follow the Thénardiers for the rest of their miserable lives.

Somewhere on a bridge in Paris, Inspector Javert looked at the stars.

A revolution in the air. A fugitive running.

Valjean materialized behind Javert. “IT HAS BEEN TWENTY FUCKING YEARS. You could have done so much in that time. Find a nice girl and settle down. Write a novel. Start a hobby. But you didn’t. And this ends now.”

“You know nothing of Javert,” the inspector warned.

“I’m the stronger man by far,” Valjean countered.

They fought.

But not for long.

With a cry of “I’M JEAN FUCKING VALJEAN,” Valjean roundhouse kicked that motherfucker into the Seine.

The audience watched in horror as “One Day More,” one of the most beloved songs from an already beloved musical turned into…this.

Many audience members went to complain.

Their complaints were silenced as Valjean’s actor appeared behind them.

Wielding two baguettes.

by booksoverlookedblog

FFM 22-23: My name is Jean Valjean

Any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. I do not consent to this work being summarized or fed to generative AI, and anyone who does so is a big dweeb.

July is Flash Fiction Month! I’ll be sharing short short stories here through the month of July. I had to take a few days off FFM. It’s been difficult to write this year, but with a little encouragement from the FFM Discord, I found enough inspiration to write two very different Les Mis fanfictions. The first is just a fan theory of mine, and the second  is…well, you’ll see. Remixes of the latter story are highly encouraged.

Painless

Jean Valjean does not feel pain. Not in Toulon, where he slept in chains. Not down in the mud of Montreuil-sur-Mer, lifting a wagon with his back. Not even when he branded himself with a red hot poker.

His strength is that of an oridnary man’s. He simply cannot feel the pain of his deeds.

Until Cosette cries. She is his light, and everything he has done since she came into his life was all for her.

That is a pain that he cannot bear.

And if he must go to the barricades to soothe that pain, so be it.

Jean Valjean Beats Up Everyone

2

“Your time is up and your parole’s begun. You know what that means.” Inspector Javert snarled down at the convict.

Jean Valjean socked him in the mouth with a cross jab.

4


“Let’s not haggle for darling Cosette,” crooned Thénardier.

Valjean swung a mean right hook into Thénaedier’s kidneys.

6

Eponine’s scream rang out. Valjean raced outside and uppercut the nearest would-be-thief.

0

Valjean would have hidden Cosette away from all the ugliness of the world if he could. But now her happiness hung with Marius’s survival. Valjean would see that Marius lived, no matter the cost.

1


For decades Javert and Valjean circled each other, knives drawn. Javert had always known that Valjean was a monster. Valjean had tried for most of his life to believe that he was not. Now, the man who had dogged him his entire life was tied up and fully at Valjean’s mercy.

Valjean was living proof that a man could change. He could rise above the sins of the past. He could do the one thing that Javert could never do.

Jean Valjean could forgive.

He punched Javert in the face.