Chapter 2
Credence ran through the streets, his heart pounding in his chest. He had managed to break free from Grindelwald's control, but he knew that he was still in danger. He had no idea where to go or what to do.
As he ran, he tried to blend in with the crowd, but he knew that he stood out. He was scared and weak, and it showed. He tried to keep his head down, but he couldn't help but look over his shoulder, expecting to see Grindelwald's followers hot on his trail.
Credence ducked into an alleyway, hoping to find a place to hide. He pressed his back against the wall and tried to catch his breath. He felt like he was being watched, like someone was always lurking just out of sight.
He closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing heart. He knew that he needed to think, to come up with a plan. But his mind was a jumbled mess of fear and confusion.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. He tensed up, ready to run again. But when he looked up, he saw a familiar face. It was Newt Scamander, the magizoologist who had helped him before.
"Credence, thank goodness we found you," Newt said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Credence nodded, feeling tears well up in his eyes. He was relieved to see a friendly face, someone who he knew he could trust.
"Come on," Newt said, leading him out of the alleyway. "We'll get you somewhere safe."
..
Credence and Newt hurried through the streets, looking for a safe place to hide. They didn't want to draw any attention to themselves, but they knew that they needed to find somewhere to regroup and come up with a plan.
As they turned down a quiet side street, Newt noticed an abandoned apartment building. It looked like it had been empty for years, with boarded-up windows and a rusted sign hanging above the entrance.
"Over there," Newt said, pointing to the building. "We can hide in there."
Credence hesitated, unsure if it was a good idea to enter a run-down, abandoned building. But he knew that they didn't have many options.
They approached the building cautiously, making sure that no one was watching them. Newt pried open the boarded-up door and they slipped inside.
The apartment was empty and dusty, with broken furniture and peeling wallpaper. Newt led Credence to a small back room and shut the door behind them.
"We'll be safe in here for a while," Newt said, looking around the room. "We can come up with a plan."
Credence nodded, still feeling shaken from the events of the past few days. He sat down on the dusty floor and leaned against the wall.
Credence couldn't shake the fear that had taken hold of him. He felt like he was constantly on edge, like any moment someone could come bursting through the door and drag him back to Grindelwald's control.
The memories of the pain he had endured at Grindelwald's hands were still fresh in his mind. He had been used as a weapon, forced to do terrible things that he didn't understand. And even though he had broken free, he couldn't help but feel like a part of him was still under Grindelwald's spell.
He looked up at Newt, who was still pacing back and forth. "What if I can't fight it?" he asked, his voice small and wavering.
Newt stopped in his tracks and looked at Credence, his expression softening. "You can fight it," he said firmly. "You're stronger than you know."
Credence wanted to believe him, but it was hard. He felt so confused and lost, like he didn't know who he was anymore. He had been under Grindelwald's control for so long, he didn't know how to be his own person.
...
Credence was exhausted. The effort it took to fight against Grindelwald's control was immense, and he felt like he had nothing left to give.
He collapsed onto the dusty floor of the abandoned apartment, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He was so tired, but he knew that he couldn't sleep. Not with the nightmares that plagued him every time he closed his eyes.
He had done horrible things under Grindelwald's control. Things that he regretted with every fiber of his being. He had watched, unable to fight back as he was used as a weapon against innocent people. And the guilt of it all weighed heavily on his soul.
He tried to push the memories aside, but they kept creeping back into his mind like a dark fog. He could see the faces of the people he had hurt, hear their screams of terror.
He wanted to scream too, to let out all of the pain and regret that he felt. But he knew that he couldn't. He had to keep fighting, had to keep pushing through the exhaustion and the nightmares.
Newt sat down next to him, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.
Credence shook his head, unable to find the words to express the turmoil that he was feeling. He was so tired of fighting, so tired of feeling like a puppet on a string.