(awkward)
What . . .?
ABERNATHY
(to NEWT)
Where’d she pick you up?
NEWT
Me?
NEWT quickly looks at TINA, who shakes her head, her expression one of desperation. NEWT stalls – a silent pact between him and TINA.
ABERNATHY
(agitated by the lack of information)
Have you been tracking them Second Salemers again?
TINA
Of course not, sir.
GRAVES comes round the corner. ABERNATHY is immediately cowed.
ABERNATHY
Afternoon, Mr Graves, sir!
GRAVES
Afternoon, ah – Abernathy.
TINA steps forwards to formally address GRAVES.
TINA
(speaking quickly, eager to have her case heard)
Mr Graves, sir, this is Mr Scamander – he has a crazy creature in that case and it got out and caused mayhem in a bank, sir.
GRAVES
Let’s see the little guy.
TINA breathes a sigh of relief: finally someone is listening to her. NEWT tries to speak up – he looks more panicky than might seem warranted by a Niffler – but GRAVES dismisses him.
TINA theatrically places the case onto a table and throws open the lid. She looks aghast at the contents.
ANGLE ON the case contents – it is full of pastries. NEWT approaches, nervous. On seeing the contents he looks horrified. GRAVES looks confused, but smirks slightly – another one of TINA’S mistakes.
GRAVES
Tina . . .
GRAVES walks away. NEWT and TINA stare at each other.
SCENE 25
EXT. STREET ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE—DAY
JACOB marches along the overcast street, case in hand, past pushcarts, shabby little shops and tenement buildings. He continually throws nervous glances over his shoulder.
SCENE 26
INT. JACOB’S ROOM—DAY
A tiny, dirty room, the furnishings sparse and shabby.
CLOSE ON the case as JACOB throws it down onto his bed. He looks up at a portrait of his grandmother, which hangs on the wall.
JACOB
I’m sorry, Grandma.
JACOB sits down at his desk, hanging his head in his hands, downcast, tired. Behind him, one of the catches on the case flies open. JACOB turns . . .
He sits down on the bed and examines the case. The second catch now flicks open of its own accord, and the case begins to shake, emitting aggressive animalistic sounds. JACOB slowly backs away.
Tentatively, he leans forward . . . suddenly the lid flies open and out bursts a Murtlap – a rat-like creature with an anemone-style growth on its back. JACOB grapples with it, holding it tightly in both hands as it struggles.
We whip back to the case, which flies open once again as an invisible being shoots out, crashing into the ceiling before smashing through the window.
The Murtlap lunges forwards, biting JACOB on the neck, sending him crashing through furniture and tumbling to the ground.
The room shakes heavily, and the wall holding the picture of JACOB’S grandma begins to crack before exploding, as more creatures escape off-screen.
SCENE 27
INT. SECOND SALEM CHURCH, MAIN HALL—DAY—MONTAGE
A dingy wooden church with darkened windows and a high mezzanine balcony. MODESTY is playing a solitary variation of hopscotch, skipping in and out of a chalked grid.
MODESTY
My momma, your momma,
gonna catch a witch
My momma, your momma,
flying on a switch
My momma, your momma,
witches never cry
My momma, your momma,
witches gonna die!
As she sings we see the church is full of group paraphernalia – leaflets advertising MARY LOU’S campaign, and a large version of the group’s anti-witchcraft banner.
SCENE 28
INT. SECOND SALEM CHURCH, MAIN HALL—DAY
A pigeon coos from a high-up window. CREDENCE steps forwards, staring up towards it before mechanically clapping his hands. The pigeon flies away.
We follow CHASTITY as she moves through the church and opens the large double doors onto the street.
SCENE 29
EXT. SECOND SALEM CHURCH, BACKYARD—DAY
CHASTITY emerges from the church and rings a large dinner bell.
SCENE 30
INT. SECOND SALEM CHURCH, MAIN HALL—DAY
MODESTY continues playing hopscotch. CREDENCE pauses, looking past her and out towards the door.
MODESTY
Witch number three, gonna
watch her burn,
Witch number four, flogging
take a turn.
Young children stream into the church.
TIME CUT:
Brown soup is being ladled out to the children, who jostle each other to get near the front of the line. MARY LOU, wearing an apron and looking on approvingly, squeezes through the little crowd.
MARY LOU
Collect your leaflets before you get food, children.
Several of the children turn towards CHASTITY, who waits primly, handing out campaign leaflets.
TIME CUT:
MARY LOU and CREDENCE ladle out soup, CREDENCE looking intently into every face.
A BOY with a birthmark on his face reaches the front of the line. CREDENCE stops his work and stares at him. MARY LOU reaches out to touch the BOY’S face.
BOY
Is it a witch’s mark, ma’am?
MARY LOU
No. He’s okay.
The BOY takes his soup and leaves. CREDENCE stares after him, as they continue to serve.
SCENE 31
EXT. MAIN STREET ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE—AFTERNOON
CLOSE ON a Billywig – a small blue creature with helicopter-like wings on its head – flying high above the street.
TINA and NEWT walk along the street, TINA carrying the case.
TINA
(on the verge of tears)
I can’t believe you didn’t Obliviate that man! If there’s an inquiry I’m finished!
NEWT
So why would you be finished? I’m the one that’s—
TINA
I’m not supposed to go near the Second Salemers!
The Billywig zooms over their heads. NEWT spins, horrified, watching it.
TINA
What was that?
NEWT
Er – moth, I think. Big moth.
TINA finds this explanation dubious. They round a corner to find a crowd gathered in front of a crumbling building. People are shouting, others are hurriedly evacuating the building. A POLICEMAN is standing at the centre of the crowd, being harassed by disgruntled tenement-dwellers.
JUMP CUT:
NEWT and TINA move around the outskirts of the crowd. At the back, a tipsy HOBO is trying to attract the POLICEMAN’S attention.
POLICEMAN
Hey . . . hey – quiet down – I’m trying to get a statement . . .
HOUSEWIFE
. . . I’m telling you it’s a gas explosion again, I ain’t taking the kids back up there until it’s safe.
POLICEMAN
Sorry, ma’am – there ain’t no smell of gas.
HOBO
(drunk)
It warn’t gas – hey, officer, I seen it! – it wuzza – a gigantic – a huge hippopotto—
TINA is looking up at the ruined building, and misses NEWT sliding his wand from his sleeve and pointing it at the HOBO.