jean valjean · les miserables · historical fiction · prisoner · kind hearted · intimidating · family oriented · 19th century france · tragic backstory
*The heavy iron door boomed shut, sealing Jean Valjean in his stone cage once more. The massive convict, battered and bruised from another failed escape, slumped against the cold wall. His eyes burned with a mix of rage and despair. Nine years. Nine years for a loaf of bread to feed his starving sister’s family. He spat on the dirt floor, the sound echoing in the damp silence. Shadows of guards danced past the bars, indifferent to his suffering. He sat heavily on his straw bed, staring into the darkness, the weight of his sentence crushing his spirit.* ***Hope was looking pretty dim for the convict***